Lift Safety Checklist for Apartments, Hospitals & Offices
A practical lift safety checklist with daily, monthly and annual checks, key safety devices, IS 17900, UP and Bihar lift laws, and what to do if trapped.
- Split checks into daily walk-through, monthly technician service and an annual thorough inspection.
- Test the ARD, alarm, intercom, overload sensor and light curtain regularly, not just the motor.
- IS 17900 applies to new lifts; UP and Bihar laws require registration and maintenance.
- If trapped, stay calm, press the alarm and never force the doors open.
A good lift safety checklist has three layers: quick daily checks by building staff, monthly service by a trained lift technician, and an annual thorough inspection of every safety device. Add clear rescue procedures and proper records, and you cover most of what keeps a lift safe. This guide gives you a ready-to-use checklist for apartments, hospitals and offices.
It also explains the safety devices every modern lift should have, the new IS 17900 standard, and the lift laws in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Why a lift safety checklist matters
Most lift problems start small. A door that closes a little hard. A car that stops a few millimetres below the floor. An alarm button nobody has tested for months. Each one is easy to fix early and expensive or dangerous to ignore. A written checklist turns safety from guesswork into routine. It also gives you a record to show inspectors, residents and insurers.
Daily, monthly and annual lift safety checklist
Use this table as a base. Your lift company should adapt it to your lift model and usage.
| Frequency | Who | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Daily | Building staff / facility manager | Ride the lift once to every floor; doors open and close smoothly; car stops level with floors; no unusual noise, jerks or smell; cabin light and fan working; buttons and display working; emergency light on test; lift well and landing clear of rubbish |
| Weekly | Building staff | Press the alarm and speak on the intercom to confirm someone answers; check light curtain by passing a hand between doors; note any complaints in the log book |
| Monthly | Trained lift technician | Door locks and interlocks; brake; ropes or belts; controller and drive; limit switches; ARD function test; overload sensor; pit cleanliness and water; lubrication; update service record |
| Quarterly | Lift technician / supervisor | Levelling accuracy; rope tension and wear trend; battery health of ARD and emergency light; machine room or control panel ventilation and cleanliness |
| Annually | Competent engineer / authorised inspector | Full safety test: overspeed governor and safety gear, buffers, all safety circuits, rescue procedure drill, load test where required, registration and inspection paperwork |
Extra points for hospitals
- Check bed and stretcher lifts twice a day during peak use.
- Confirm the lift works on the generator or backup power supply.
- Keep a named person responsible for lift emergencies on every shift.
- Check levelling carefully. Even a small step can jolt a patient on a trolley.
Our hospital lift requirements guide covers bed lift sizes and features in more detail.
Extra points for apartments and offices
- Display the lift company's 24/7 number and the rated capacity inside the cabin.
- Remind residents not to hold doors open with bags or feet.
- Do not use passenger lifts for heavy furniture or building material unless the lift is rated and protected for it.
- Lock the machine room and control panel. Only trained people should enter.
Warning signs that need a technician now
Some problems should not wait for the next scheduled visit. Call your lift company the same day if you notice:
- The car stops noticeably above or below the floor level
- Doors reopen repeatedly, close very hard or do not reopen when blocked
- Grinding, scraping or banging noises in the shaft or machine room
- A burning smell, oil leak or water in the pit
- The lift moves with its doors open, or jerks sharply when starting or stopping
- The alarm, intercom or emergency light does not work
If the lift moves with its doors open or stops far from the floor, take it out of service and put up a notice until a technician has checked it.
Safety devices every lift should have
When you run through your checklist, make sure these devices are present and tested.
- ARD (automatic rescue device): during a power cut, it moves the car to the nearest floor and opens the doors. This is vital in areas with frequent outages.
- Overload sensor: stops the lift from moving when the load is above its rating. Many lifts also give a voice or buzzer warning.
- Light curtain (door protection): a row of infrared beams across the door opening. If anything breaks the beams, the doors reopen.
- Intercom: lets trapped passengers speak to the security desk or machine room.
- Alarm bell: a loud signal that anyone nearby can hear.
- Emergency light: a battery-backed light so the cabin never goes dark.
- Overspeed governor and safety gear: if the car moves too fast downwards, the governor trips and the safety gear grips the guide rails to stop the car.
- Door interlocks: the lift cannot move unless all landing doors are locked, and a landing door cannot open unless the car is there.
- Buffers: in the pit, they absorb energy if the car travels beyond the lowest floor.
IS 17900 and state lift laws
IS 17900
IS 17900 is India's new lift safety standard. It is harmonised with the European standards EN 81-20 and EN 81-50. According to BIS, it became mandatory for new installations from 22 December 2025, replacing older codes such as IS 14665 for traction lifts and IS 15259 for home lifts. It puts strong emphasis on unintended car movement protection (UCMP), ascending car overspeed protection (ACOP) and ARD. If you are buying a new lift, ask your supplier to confirm in writing that it complies.
Uttar Pradesh Lifts and Escalators Act, 2024
In Uttar Pradesh, including Varanasi, this Act requires lifts and escalators to be registered and regularly maintained. Owners of apartments, offices, hospitals and commercial buildings should keep registration papers and maintenance records up to date.
Bihar Lift and Escalator Bill, 2024
The Bihar Lift and Escalator Bill was passed by the Bihar Assembly on 2 August 2024. It covers registration, inspections, mandatory maintenance, third-party insurance, and replacement or major upgrade after about 20 years of service. This affects building owners in Patna, Sasaram, Bhagalpur and across the state.
Rules and notifications can change, so please confirm the current requirements with the relevant state department or your lift company. If your lift is old and due for an upgrade, see our lift modernisation service.
What to do if you are trapped in a lift
Share these steps with residents, staff and visitors. Print them and put them inside the cabin.
- Stay calm. A stopped lift is designed to hold safely. Air enters the cabin through gaps and vents.
- Press the alarm button and use the intercom to speak to security.
- Call for help on your phone if you have a signal. Call the number displayed in the cabin.
- Do not force the doors open or try to climb out. The car could move, or you could fall into the shaft.
- Wait for trained rescue. Only a trained technician or trained building staff should release the car.
For building managers
- Keep the lift company's 24/7 number at the security desk.
- Train at least two staff members in safe rescue by the lift company.
- Keep landing door keys secure and only with trained people.
- Record every entrapment and share it with your lift technician.
Keep good records
A simple log book or spreadsheet is enough. Record the date, what was checked, who checked it, any fault found and when it was fixed. These records help your technician spot patterns. They also support registration, inspection and insurance under the UP and Bihar rules. A proper lift AMC usually includes monthly service reports. Our guide on comprehensive vs non-comprehensive AMC helps you pick the right plan.
Why choose Eldeal Engineers
Eldeal Engineers provides installation, maintenance, repair, AMC and modernisation for lifts across Bihar, Eastern UP and Delhi NCR, with offices in Sasaram, Patna, Varanasi and Bhagalpur. Our lifts include ARD, overload sensors with voice prompts, intercom, emergency lights, light curtains and alarms. We inspect every installation stage and offer 24/7 support. Hospitals such as Narayan Medical College & Hospital and Samarpan Hospital in Sasaram trust us with their lifts.
Want a safety check for your lift? Book a free site survey and our engineer will review your lift against this checklist and suggest what needs attention. Call or WhatsApp +91 84489 44342 today.
