The Safety of older lifts in Sweden

During autumn 2023, the Swedish government decided on new legal requirements aimed at improving the safety of older lifts.

The new regulation requires that lifts for passenger transport must incorporate suitable protection between the shaft door and the car door, in situations where there is a potential risk for individuals, especially young children, to become entrapped in that space.

These types of older lifts with a combination of a shaft door and a car door have since long been identified as a potential risk. Since 2000, there have been at least six reported accidents involving children becoming entrapped between doors, with the most recent incident in May 2023 resulting in the tragic death of a five-year-old boy in Gothenburg, Sweden.

The Swedish Minster of Infrastructure and Housing, Andreas Carlson commented on the decision: "It is crucial to get protective measures in place so that no more children suffer from safety deficiencies in old lifts. The government's decision means that if there is a risk of entrapment in the space between the doors, there must be protection in place to prevent it."

Improved lift safety

In many instances, property owners can enhance the safety of older lifts through straightforward measures. One such measure involves installing a "space guard" on the shaft door to minimize the gap between doors, complemented by a photocell list.

The new requirements regarding protection between doors are applicable to approximately 5,800 lifts in Sweden, and compliance with the requirements is mandatory by October 1, 2031.

While Hissförbundet, the Swedish Association of Lifts and Escalators, supports the government's positive step towards improved lift safety, there are concerns over the absence of a decision to also increase the safety level for lifts lacking any protection in the car opening. Highlighting the disparity between regulations for residential and workplace buildings, the association emphasizes that workplace lifts have required protection in the car opening since 2012. Sara Berggren, the secretary-general of Hissförbundet, stresses the need to align safety levels for residential buildings with those of workplaces. 

More information: hissforbundet.se