A new standard has been published by the British Standards Institution (BSI) covering the evacuation of persons with disabilities using lifts
BS EN 81-76:2025 Safety rules for the construction and installation of lifts. Particular applications for passenger and goods passenger lifts – Evacuation of persons with disabilities using lifts specifies additional requirements to EN 81-20:2020, but with a particular focus on supporting faster evacuation of persons with disabilities, including in case of a fire alarm.
As stated in the document guidance, “This is the first European standard specifying a lift which might be used for the evacuation of persons with disabilities. Traditionally, building occupants have been instructed not to use lifts for evacuation, e.g. at a fire alarm. The possible use of lifts described in this document might therefore be new to those responsible for buildings and to building occupants.”
Part of the wider BS EN 81 series, which sets out safety requirements and protective measures for lift construction and installation, the new standard lists several key features, such as different operational modes for evacuations and lift classification types depending on the complexity of the building.
Three optional operational modes – driver-assisted evacuation operation, automatic evacuation operation, and remote-assisted evacuation operation – are reflected in the document, allowing “one or more to be selected based on the building type and evacuation strategy”.
Considerations have also been made for different types of buildings with simpler requirements, which might not need the full specification of evacuation lift as described in BS EN 81-76:2025. Two lift classifications are mentioned: Class A for simpler buildings and Class B for more complex buildings that require firefighter lifts.
As shared by the Fire Industry Association (FIA), the standard is aimed at professionals involved in lift design, installation, and management. The document is of particular relevance to machine safety stakeholders, including machine manufacturers and health and safety bodies. It supersedes DD CEN/TS 81-76:2011, which has been withdrawn. The 2025 edition is intended to be read in conjunction with other standards in the series, including BS EN 81-20 for the design of new lifts.
You can access the new standard here.