Lifts

The lift must be in compliance with the requirements set for lifts, and lift maintenance, repair, service and alteration works may only be carried out by a company with the right to perform work on lifts.

Who is responsible for the safety of lifts?

The responsibility for the safety of a commissioned lift lies with its possessor. In practice, the possessor of the lift is the owner and possessor of the building, represented in residential housing companies by the chairman of the board and the property manager.

The possessor of the lift should ensure, for instance, the following:

  • maintenance
  • repair
  • inspections
  • potential evacuation of persons from the lift.

The lift maintenance company

  • maintains the lift on a regular basis in accordance with the maintenance programme and ensures that the condition of the lift is in accordance with the regulations following maintenance and repairs
  • notifies the possessor of any detected defects or deficiencies
  • marks service visits, detected defects and deficiencies and the maintenance carried out in the service book.

Periodic inspections of lifts are carried out every other year. The inspections are carried out by accredited bodies approved by Tukes.

The installer of a new lift is responsible for the safety of the lift supplied. A new lift is placed on the market following the procedures under the Lifts Directive 2014/33/EU, and the lift must conform to the essential health and safety requirements laid down in the directive.

Tukes develops and supervises lift safety

Tukes acts as the competent supervision authority under the Lift Safety Act (1134/2016). The provisions of the Lift Safety Act govern e.g. the maintenance, repairs, alterations and inspections of lifts as well as the performance of work related to lifts. The Lift Safety Act was enacted to implement into national law the Lifts Directive 2014/33/EU, which governs new lifts and imposes various obligations on the economic operators active in the supply and distribution chain of lifts and safety components for lifts. Under the Lifts Directive, Tukes acts as the national market surveillance authority in Finland.

Tukes supervises the activities of lift installers, safety components manufacturers, lift maintenance companies and the accredited inspection bodies carrying out inspections on lifts. Tukes issues guidelines on lift safety, is actively engaged in the preparation of new statutes and regulations, and organises vocational qualification exams on lift safety.

Apart from passenger lifts, Tukes supervises also the safety during the use of various types of equipment falling in the sphere of application of the Machinery Directive, e.g. escalators, moving walks and motorised lifting doors.