What is BS EN 81-40 about?
BS EN 81-40 discusses safety rules for the construction and installation of lifts. BS EN 81-40 deals with safety requirements for the construction, manufacturing, installation, maintenance and dismantling of electrically operated stairlifts. These include chair lifts, standing platforms and wheelchair platforms affixed to a building structure, moving in an inclined plane, and intended for use by persons with impaired mobility:
- Travelling over a stair or an accessible inclined surface
- Intended for use by one person
- Whose carriage is directly retained and guided by a guide rail or rails
- Supported or sustained by rope, rack and pinion, chain, friction/traction drive, and guided rope and ball
Note 1: BS EN 81-40 does not specify the additional requirements for operation in severe conditions, operation subject to special rules, handling of materials, the nature of which could lead to dangerous situations, use of energy systems other than electricity, hazards occurring during manufacture, earthquakes, flooding, fire, evacuation during a fire, stairlifts for goods only, concrete, hardcore, timber or other foundation or building arrangement, design of anchorage bolts to the supporting structure.
Note 2: For the actual type of machinery, noise is not considered a significant nor relevant hazard.
Note 3: BS EN 81-40 does not apply to power-operated stairlifts which are manufactured before the date of publication of this document.
Who is BS EN 81-40 for?
BS EN 81-40 on safety rules for the construction and installation of lifts is useful for:
- Lift manufacturers
- Health and safety bodies
- Builders
- Contractors
- Civil Engineers
- Estate Managers
Why should you use BS EN 81-40?
The population of Europe is ageing and the prevalence of disability, including disability associated with the ageing process, is increasing. Older people and people with disabilities at present are estimated to number some 80 million people. There is a growing recognition that society needs to exploit this potential for the economic and social benefit of society generally. This is one of the reasons that led to BS EN 81-40 on vertical lifting platforms for people with impaired mobility being one means to provide accessibility to buildings.
BS EN 81-40 helps you to identify hazards that arise during the various phases in the life of such equipment. BS EN 81-40 helps you eliminate or reduce these hazards when used as intended by the manufacturer. BS EN 81-40 also provides you with the methods of testing for the presence or adequacy of safety measures. BS EN 81-40 helps you to ensure safety in your special lifts.
What’s changed since the last update?
BS EN 81-40:2020 supersedes BS EN 81-40:2008, which is withdrawn. BS EN 81-40:2020 includes some technical changes with respect to BS EN 81-40:2008. These include:
- Support for screw and nut drive has been removed
- Verification tests have been added for static overload, chair levelling, edges and surfaces and self-sustaining system
- Requirements for the interface of the stairlift in the building have been added
- A requirement for lightning protection has been added
- All normative references to other standards have been dated
