Safety first: occupational safety in lift building

Work in lift building has a very high hazard potential – not just in new construction, but also in modernisation and service. This is how fitters and technicians can protect themselves better against occupational accidents.

By Udo Niggemeier

There were two fatal occupational accidents in the lift sector again in 2022. Unfortunately, if you look at the figures for past years, these are not just isolated tragic individual cases. On average, two technicians suffer fatal accidents a year in Germany.

There are numerous hazards around lifts: the greatest risks are falling, electrical hazards and being crushed. The so-called S-T-O-P principle (see box) is standard for hazard elimination.

Hazard: falling

There is a risk of falling from a working height of 1m, if openings of 50x50 cm exist and one is closer than 2m to the fall edge. This is not just the case in new construction/modernisation, but also in service – old lifts have no guard rails or they are only 50 cm high.

What can help? The openings can of course be reduced. If this is not possible, a guard rail according to the guidelines of the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) with a height of at least 1 m provides adequate protection. Guard rails according to the standard of a height of 70 cm provide acceptable protection for maintenance but are inadequate for work on the lift (see DGUV-I 209 053 3.5.3). Additional measures are necessary for this, such as the construction of a temporary work guard rail or personal protective equipment against falling (PPEaF).

When it comes to personal protective equipment against falling (PPEaF), care must be taken that employees are instructed and trained in its use, the PPEaF is regularly inspected, the attachment point is clearly defined and that in the event of suspension trauma, rescue is ensured. The use of PPEaF as retention system can be a good way of avoiding suspension trauma.

Hazard: electric shock

Electrical work is also performed in lift building. There is a risk of electric shock here. Consequently, this work can only be assumed by people who are correspondingly qualified, can assess the risks and take corresponding protective measures. Technicians who have no electrical training are often used in lift building. To qualify for this work, they should be trained and commissioned as electricians for specified work in lift building. Working with live equipment is in general prohibited. The only exception is troubleshooting with suitable measurement equipment.

Whenever work is done on electric components, five safety rules (see box) should in general be observed. If an electric shock (even only briefly) still occurs despite all protective measures, emergency services must be alarmed immediately. This is because every electrical accident requires medical attention, since fatal consequences (e.g., ventricular fibrillation) can occur up to several hours later.

Hazard: being crushed

Today, many lifts are installed where protective spaces first have to be temporarily created in the shaft pit or headroom before safe working in the shaft is possible. Otherwise, there is a risk of the fitter being crushed. However, protective measures against this are in part so elaborate that fitters sometimes like to avoid them.

An example: to create a temporary protective area in the headroom, a support has to be placed under the counterweight. To work briefly on something in the headroom on a lift with eight floors, he has to get onto the car roof. Should he descend eight floors, set up a support, climb back eight floors, get onto the car roof, run down eight floors, remove the support, climb eight floors again and reset the lift?!

Conclusion

What can we all do to prevent any more severe and fatal accidents taking place in our sector? Personal misconduct is often the cause of accidents. This is why we should be sensitised to the hazards in our work, remind ourselves of the risks before beginning work and take suitable protective measures. Employers can do a lot: train, instruct and plan – but we implement this in our daily work. 

The author is the managing director of ASIB-Niggemeier and honorary chairman of the board of management of the Association of SME lift companies (VmA).

S-T-O-P principle: S: Substitution (hazard factor)
T: Technical measures
O: Organisational measures
P: Personal protective equipment

Five safety rules: 1. Disconnect
2. Secure against switching back on
3. Test lines are dead
4. Earth and short
5. Cover or block off neighbouring live parts