Lifts in high-rise buildings

Where responsible persons identify, either through the monthly checks or via any other routine checks, that a relevant lift or mechanism has a fault or is out of service, they must report it to the local fire and rescue service electronically.

The ‘responsible person’ will also be required to record the outcome of these monthly checks in an open and transparent way that is accessible to residents – e.g. by posting them on a notice board or making them available to a resident’s association.

It is important to know that these Regulations add to a ‘responsible person’s’ existing duties under the Fire Safety Order in relation to mid- and high-rise apartment buildings, and also require them to provide information to the fire and rescue services so they can plan their operations and take additional safety precautions.

The monthly assessment is to check that firefighter and evacuation lifts are in good repair and in efficient working order. Importantly, these checks can be carried out by the ‘responsible person’.

All lifts, including secondary or back-up power supplies, as well as any other fire-fighting equipment are already subject to a suitable programme of maintenance and inspection. These checks are designed to be executed by a building owner or responsible person i.e. there is no legal requirement for a lift-specialist to carry out these checks, and include:

Weekly & monthly routine check (functionality):

〉 This is to check that the recall and alarm functions are working correctly.

〉 It also tests the operation of the evacuation and firefighters lift switches.

Monthly routine checks (secondary power supplies):

〉 This involves simulating a failure of primary power and changeover to a secondary power supply. If a generator provides the secondary power supply, it should energise the lift(s) for at least one hour.

〉Owners and managers of buildings with these types of lifts may not be aware of or prepared for this regulation change. Identifying the ‘responsible person’, the types of lifts and the methodology in carrying out checks can be confusing.

A building’s owners/managers or other ‘responsible person’ must be able to:

• Identify evacuation and firefighter lift(s)
• Know how to carry out and record routine checks
• Know how to check secondary power supplies. This may need attendance by an electrical engineer
• Know how to activate building fire alarms / BMS system (This may need a fire engineer in attendance)
• Carry out routine checks in accordance with BS 9999, Annex I / BS 8899 and FSER 2022
• Provide notification of any fault
• Provide documented evidence

It also helps staff understand why these checks are being carried out if the ‘responsible person’ can also provide guidance on the theory behind the checks.

While these new regulatory requirements do not need a lift specialist to carry out the checks it can be difficult, at least at first, for the ‘responsible person’ to know exactly how to discharge their responsibilities as required by the law. In this regard, our team is happy help with specially developed on-site training and advice.

The annual operational inspection check is slightly different, in that it is typically carried out by a competent person, or other person with specialist lift and fire/evacuation related knowledge. For the annual operation inspection, a ‘competent person’ is required. These inspections involve an annual performance test of various items of fire-fighting plant, including evacuation and fire-fighting lifts along with all the necessary documented evidence.