BS EN 81-76:2025 issued to assist building evacuation procedures

The British Standard forms part of the wider BS EN 81 Series, which sets out safety rules for lift construction and installation. The 2025 edition replaces previous versions of BS EN 81-76 and “reflects continued development” in terms of accessibility and safety considerations across the built environment.

The BSI has noted: “This is the first European standard specifying a lift which might be used for the evacuation of persons with disabilities. Traditionally, building occupants have been instructed not to use lifts for evacuation (eg at a fire alarm). The possible use of lifts described in this document might therefore be new to those responsible for buildings and to building occupants.”

This British Standard is the UK implementation of EN 81‑76:2025 and supersedes CEN/TS 81‑76:2011, which is now withdrawn. The latest iteration is designed to mirror current approaches to accessibility, evacuation planning and fire safety in the built environment.

The document brings forward two classes of evacuation lift: Class A and Class B. Class A references lifts for simpler types of building (ie residential premises where firefighter lifts are not required and only a single evacuation floor has been designated). Class B lifts incorporate additional control equipment and can be used in those buildings where there are more complex requirements in play when it comes to designated evacuation strategies.

Professionals involved in lift design, installation and management are encouraged to review the updated British Standard to ensure compliance and support for the safe instigation of evacuation planning.

Satisfactory integration

The implementation of a safe evacuation lift depends on its satisfactory integration within a given building. This demands collaboration between those responsible for the lift and those responsible for other aspects (outside of the lift) such as:

*building-related conditions in which the lift is installed

*the number and size of evacuation lifts based on capacity assessment

*specification of optional modes for driver-assisted evacuation and/or automatic evacuation operation

*specification of the evacuation lift as either of Class A or Class B

*minimum lift car size depending on whether the intended use is to include a stretcher or trolley stretcher, and whether the evacuation lift is Class A or Class B

*a means to suspend evacuation operation if fire or smoke is detected

*whether the evacuation lift is also a firefighter lift

*signals to recall the lift and for selection of evacuation operational mode(s)

*for automatic evacuation operation, any signals for active floor alarms and a signal for the evacuation of all floors

*for a Class A evacuation lift with no secondary power supply, the landing to which the evacuation lift recovers

*clarification that any emergency voice communication system in a temporary waiting space outside the lift is separate from the communication system required on a lift with remote assisted evacuation operation or driver-assisted evacuation operation

Additional requirements

The document specifies the additional requirements to EN 81-20:2020 for new passenger and goods passenger lifts, which can be used to support the faster evacuation of individuals with disabilities, including in case of fire alarm.

However, this document doesn’t apply to:

*lifts for evacuation due to circumstances which introduce other hazards such as explosion threat, chemical or biological attack, flooding, storm damage, or earthquake (in these cases, this document can be used as a basis with further measures as required from risk assessments)

*the provision of evacuation aids to assist when the evacuation lift is unavailable

*Further information is available online by visiting the BSI Group’s website