Building Regulations and Lift Requirements in the UK
Commercial lift compliance is shaped by a range of legislation, technical standards, and ongoing legal duties. Building Regulations are one part of the picture, sitting alongside the Equality Act 2010, the Building Safety Act 2022, EN standards, LOLER, PUWER, and the responsibilities that come with owning or managing lifting equipment.
This guide explains how these requirements fit together, outlining the key considerations when planning, specifying, installing, and maintaining lifts in commercial and public buildings. It also links to more detailed guidance on the regulations, standards, and best practices that influence lift compliance throughout a building’s lifecycle.
The Regulatory Framework
Commercial lift compliance is governed by several connected legal and technical frameworks, each covering a different aspect of a lift’s design, installation, operation, and ongoing management. Understanding how these requirements interact is often more important than knowing any single piece of legislation in isolation.
- Building Regulations set the functional requirements for safe and accessible buildings.
- The Equality Act 2010 places a continuing duty on organisations to make reasonable adjustments where physical barriers disadvantage disabled people.
- The Building Safety Act 2022 has introduced additional responsibilities for higher-risk buildings, strengthening accountability throughout a building’s occupation.
- Product legislation governs how lifts are designed, manufactured, conformity assessed, and placed on the market.
- Technical standards, including the EN 81 series, provide recognised guidance for demonstrating compliance and achieving safe, reliable installations.
- Once a lift enters service, inspection and maintenance legislation such as LOLER and PUWER helps ensure it remains safe throughout its operational life.
A compliant lift is the result of good planning, appropriate product selection, correct installation, and ongoing management. The sections below explain each area in more detail, with links to dedicated guides covering the legislation, standards, and best practice behind commercial lift compliance.
Building Regulations & Accessible Design
Approved Document M (Part M) of the Building Regulations sets out the functional requirements for ensuring people can access and use buildings safely and independently. In multi-storey buildings, this means considering vertical circulation early in the design process, alongside entrances, routes through the building, and other accessibility features.
Part M works alongside BS 8300, which provides guidance on designing accessible and inclusive built environments. Together, they encourage designers to look beyond minimum compliance and consider how people will move through and use a building in practice.
Platform lifts can meet Building Regulations where they are appropriate for the building, particularly within existing properties, constrained sites, or projects where a conventional passenger lift cannot reasonably be accommodated. Suitability should always be assessed against the building’s intended use and the objectives of Part M, rather than the lift alone.
Early design decisions have a significant impact on the options available later. Structural allowances, circulation space, and lift positioning are often easier and more cost-effective to resolve during the planning stage than after construction has begun. Models such as the Aritco PublicLift Access and Vimec AR:IA Commercial Cabin Lift are commonly specified across a range of commercial projects, depending on the building layout, accessibility requirements, and available space.
Accessibility Law Beyond Building Regulations
The Equality Act 2010 creates a separate duty for service providers, employers, and those responsible for premises to avoid disadvantageing disabled people.
This duty applies to occupied buildings, including existing commercial and public premises. Where a physical feature creates a barrier, reasonable adjustments may be required. In some cases, that could involve improving vertical access between floors. In others, it may mean changing how a space is used, managed, or accessed.
The key point is that accessibility is not only a design-stage issue. It remains an operational responsibility throughout the life of a building. A lift can support compliance, but it does not guarantee it in isolation. The wider access route, user experience, maintenance regime, and day-to-day management all matter.
For commercial buildings, treating accessibility as an ongoing duty reduces legal risk and helps spaces work better for the people using them.
Standards & Technical Guidance
Alongside legislation, commercial lifts are designed and installed in accordance with recognised technical standards. These standards provide practical guidance for manufacturers, designers, and installers, helping demonstrate that a lift has been specified and installed to accepted safety and accessibility requirements.
The EN 81 series forms the principal framework for lift design across Europe and the UK:
- EN 81-41 applies specifically to vertical platform lifts.
- EN 81-20 covers the safety requirements for passenger and goods passenger lifts.
- EN 81-70 focuses on accessibility, including lift controls, dimensions, and user interfaces that support independent use.
Product legislation also plays an important role. Depending on the lift type, equipment may fall under the Lifts Regulations 2016 or the Machinery Directive (and its UK equivalent), each with different requirements for design, conformity assessment, and placing products on the market.
Understanding which framework applies is essential when specifying a lift, particularly for commercial and public buildings.
Before entering service, lifts must undergo the appropriate conformity assessment process and carry the relevant UKCA marking, or recognised CE marking where permitted. This demonstrates that the model meets the applicable safety legislation, but it does not replace the need to satisfy Building Regulations or wider accessibility requirements.
Planning Lift Compliance Early
Many lift-related challenges can be avoided before construction begins. Decisions around structural openings, shaft locations, pit depth, headroom, and circulation space all influence which lift solutions remain viable as a project develops. Once layouts are fixed, introducing or relocating a lift often becomes more complex, disruptive, and costly.
Coordination between architects, structural engineers, building control, and lift specialists is particularly valuable during the early design stages. Identifying accessibility requirements from the outset allows lift provision to be integrated into the building rather than accommodated later through compromise.
This is especially relevant in refurbishment projects, existing buildings, and constrained sites where available space may limit the choice of lift.
- Self-contained platform lifts, such as the Aritco PublicLift Access, can reduce structural work compared with conventional passenger lifts in some applications.
- Compact solutions like the UnaPorte® Platform Step Lift can provide step-free access across smaller changes in level where ramps are impractical.
- Where greater travel distances or higher passenger volumes are required, a cabin platform lift such as the Motala 2000 Cabin Platform Lift may offer a more appropriate solution.
Planning ahead also keeps future options open. Even where a lift is not installed immediately, allowing for structural requirements during the design phase can simplify future adaptations and reduce the likelihood of costly retrofits.
Managing Compliance After Installation
Once a lift is in service, the building owner, employer, facilities manager, or appointed responsible person must ensure it remains safe, maintained, and suitable for use.
Planned Servicing
It helps identify wear, faults, and operational issues before they create safety risks or downtime. Commercial lifts should also be subject to the required inspection regime, including thorough examination under LOLER where applicable, and suitable maintenance under PUWER.
Records Matter
Service reports, LOLER certificates, risk assessments, insurance documents, maintenance schedules, and handover information should be stored clearly and kept up to date. If responsibility for a building changes, lift documentation should be reviewed as part of the handover process, particularly where equipment is older or has been modified.
Day-to-Day Checks
Basic visual inspections can identify blocked landings, damaged controls, lighting failures, door issues, alarm faults, or communication problems. These checks do not replace professional servicing or statutory inspections, but they help ensure issues are picked up quickly.
Keep Training Current
Staff responsible for lift operation, emergency procedures, or key access should know what to do if the lift develops a fault, stops between levels, or needs to be taken out of service. If trained staff leave, responsibility should be reassigned rather than assumed.
Good lift management is not complicated, but it does need structure. Clear ownership, routine maintenance, accurate records, and prompt action when issues arise all reduce risk and support compliance throughout the lift’s working life.
Sustainability & Commercial Building Standards
Alongside accessibility and compliance, designers are looking more closely at embodied carbon, operational efficiency, maintenance requirements, and the long-term performance of building systems.
Environmental assessment methods such as BREEAM and LEED encourage a whole-building approach, considering factors including energy use, material selection, durability, and lifecycle performance. While lifts represent only one element of a project, choosing an appropriate solution can support wider sustainability objectives.
Platform lifts can offer advantages where a conventional passenger lift is unnecessary. Models such as the Aritco PublicLift Access and Vimec AR:IA Commercial Cabin Lift are designed for low-energy operation and use recyclable materials within their construction, making them suitable options for projects where accessibility and environmental performance are both key considerations.
Choosing the Right Commercial Lift
Accessibility requirements, available space, travel distance, expected usage, and structural constraints all influence which type of lift is most appropriate. Considering these factors early helps ensure compliance, avoids unnecessary alterations, and supports the long-term use of the building.
The table below outlines where each type of lift is typically suited. Final specification should always take account of the building layout, applicable regulations, and the needs of those using the space.
| Building requirement | Suitable lift solution |
| Step-free access between multiple floors in public and commercial buildings | Aritco PublicLift Access |
| External entrances, raised walkways, or external access | Aritco PublicLift Access (External) |
| Combined passenger and light goods transport | Aritco PublicLift Access (Goods) |
| Passenger-style platform lift for commercial buildings | Aritco 9000 Platform Cabin Lift |
| Compact commercial cabin lift where a traditional enclosed lift experience is preferred | Vimec AR:IA Commercial Cabin Lift |
| Existing buildings with straight staircases where a lift shaft is impractical | Vimec V6 Platform Stairlift |
| Existing buildings with curved or more complex staircases | Vimec V6s Platform Stairlift |
| Compact platform lift for everyday access in offices, schools, healthcare, and public buildings | Motala 2000 Platform Lift |
| Enclosed platform cabin lift for higher-traffic commercial and public environments | Motala 2000 Cabin Platform Lift |
| Small changes in level, entrances, terraces, and split-level access | UnaPorte® Platform Step Lift |
Every project presents different constraints. The right solution is rarely determined by travel height alone, but by balancing accessibility, compliance, available space, building use, and future maintenance requirements.
Commercial Lift Compliance Checklist
A compliant commercial lift depends on the full project context, but the following points should be reviewed as a minimum:
- Confirm lift provision has been assessed against Approved Document M.
- Consider wider accessibility duties under the Equality Act 2010.
- Check the relevant EN 81 standards, including EN 81-41 for platform lifts where applicable.
- Confirm the lift has been supplied, installed, and conformity assessed under the correct product legislation.
- Ensure fire safety requirements have been considered, including any duties relating to firefighting or evacuation lifts.
- Put a servicing and maintenance schedule in place before the lift enters regular use.
- Arrange LOLER thorough examinations where required.
- Keep records of inspections, certificates, maintenance, faults, and remedial works.
- Assign responsibility for lift management, emergency procedures, and day-to-day checks.
- Provide training for relevant staff, particularly where emergency access, key control, or fault reporting is involved.
This checklist should support, not replace, project-specific advice and statutory approval processes.
Frequently Asked Questions
| Do all multi-storey buildings in the UK require a lift? | No. Requirements depend on the building’s use, layout, and the provisions of Approved Document M. |
| When should lift compliance be considered? | As early as possible. Lift location, shaft dimensions, structural allowances, accessibility routes, and circulation space are far easier to incorporate during the design stage than after construction has begun. Early planning also helps avoid costly redesigns later in the project. |
| What’s the difference between a passenger lift and a platform lift? | Passenger lifts are generally intended for higher traffic and greater travel distances. Platform lifts are often used where space is limited, in existing buildings, or where a conventional passenger lift cannot reasonably be accommodated. |
| When is a platform lift acceptable instead of a passenger lift? | A platform lift may be appropriate where a passenger lift cannot reasonably be accommodated, such as in constrained or existing buildings. It must still satisfy the functional requirements of Part M and be approved through building control. |
| Are platform lifts compliant with building regulations? | They can be, when correctly specified and installed. Compliance is assessed against Approved Document M (including paragraph 3.43) as a whole and in the context of the building. |
| Does installing a lift guarantee Equality Act compliance? | No. A lift may form part of a reasonable adjustment, but compliance with the Equality Act depends on how accessible the building is as a whole and whether barriers for disabled people have been appropriately addressed. |
| Do EN 81 standards replace UK building regulations? | No. EN 81 standards are not legislation. They are technical benchmarks commonly used to demonstrate compliance with statutory requirements. |
| Can lifts contribute towards BREEAM? | Lift specification can support wider sustainability objectives through energy efficiency, durability, and lifecycle performance. However, BREEAM assesses the overall environmental performance of a building, so no individual lift can achieve compliance or a specific rating on its own. |
| Who is responsible for lift compliance? | Responsibility usually sits with the building owner, employer, duty holder, or the organisation managing the premises. This includes arranging servicing, inspections, maintenance, and ensuring the lift remains safe throughout its operational life. |
| Who is responsible for lift safety in higher-risk buildings? | In higher-risk buildings, accountable persons and duty holders defined under the Building Safety Act 2022 are responsible for managing lift-related safety risks during occupation. |
| Do all commercial lifts require LOLER? | Not always. LOLER applies to lifting equipment used in the workplace where the Regulations are relevant. Many commercial platform and passenger lifts require regular thorough examinations under LOLER, although requirements depend on the type of lift and how it is used. |
| When does PUWER apply? | PUWER applies to work equipment used by employees and requires equipment to be suitable, maintained, and safe to operate. Depending on the installation and its use, commercial lifts may fall within its scope alongside other legislation. Read our Guide to PUWER → |
| Do commercial lifts require regular servicing? | Yes. Planned servicing helps maintain safe operation, identify wear before faults develop, and support legal compliance. The required frequency will depend on the lift type, usage, and manufacturer’s recommendations. Explore our commercial lift servicing packages → |
| Are firefighting and evacuation lifts subject to regular inspections? | Yes. Where provided in higher-risk buildings, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 require regular checks, including monthly inspections, with records maintained. |
| Do commercial lifts need to be inspected as well as serviced? | Yes. Servicing and statutory inspections are different requirements. Servicing helps keep a lift operating safely and reliably, while inspections such as LOLER thorough examinations provide an independent assessment of its condition where required by law. |
| Can Gartec help with lift specification and compliance? | Yes. Gartec works with architects, contractors, developers, and facilities managers to advise on suitable lift solutions, accessibility requirements, and regulatory considerations. Final compliance is determined through the relevant statutory approval and building control processes. |
Need Advice on Lift Compliance?
Every building presents different accessibility requirements, structural constraints, and compliance considerations. Our technical team works with you to help specify compliant lift solutions for both new-build and refurbishment projects. From early design advice through to installation and ongoing support.