by Muharrem Bilge Çakırer
Accessibility in lifts is a critical factor in modern building design and engineering. According to the World Health Organization, 15% of the world’s population lives with a type of disability. This rate is the indicator of the importance of accessible buildings and, especially, accessible lifts for a large part of society.
Accessibility is a universal design principle that enhances the quality of life of not only disabled people but others, including pregnant women, elderly people, families with children, students carrying luggage, etc. The compliance of lifts with these standards ensures that every individual in society can move independently and increases social participation. However, I think that the issue of accessibility in lifts is not sufficiently understood even among most lift manufacturers in our country due to reasons such as the complicated language of the current legislation and the fact that the EN 81-70:2022 standard has not yet been translated into Turkish. In this article, a question-answer format is preferred to make the subject more understandable, to raise awareness and to contribute to the industry in light of my knowledge and experience in design.
Q.1) What does accessibility mean for lifts? Which legislation does include subjects regarding this area?
A.1) According to 2014/33/AB Lift Regulation which we may call the “Lift Law,” if the lift is intended to carry people and as long as its dimensions permit, the cabin must be designed and manufactured in a way that does not hinder the entry and use of people with disabilities and facilitates their use.
According to the Planned Areas Zoning Regulation, in buildings with a single lift, the narrow side of the lift cabin must be at least 1.20 m, its area must be at least 1.80 m² and the door clear passage width must be 900 mm. In addition, in buildings with more than one lift, half the number of lifts must be built with these dimensions.
Q.2) What are the accessibility standard for lifts?
A.2) The European Standard EN 81-70:2022 is an important guide for accessible lift design, which determines the minimum requirements for equal, safe and independent access and usage of lifts by people with different qualities, including people with disabilities. Following this guide in the manufacturing of lifts is compulsory in our country, as it is in many countries around the world. Important criteria have been introduced regarding dimensions, control systems, markings and safety precautions that need to be taken into consideration so individuals with disabilities can use lifts comfortably.
The EN 81-70 standard will be published by ISO (International Commission for Standardization) within a few years under the title ISO/DIS 8100-7, valid for all countries in the world, and the 2024 draft version of this universal standard was published in the past months. This standard will be the first international guide which determines the minimum standards for the rights of people with disabilities across the world and is legally binding in terms of human rights.
Q.3) Is it mandatory to place a “mirror” in lifts?
A.3) No, it is not. However, wheelchair users need to have a mirror in the car to be able to reverse out of the lift without assistance. Using mirrors in the car is also recommended, as it will show the inside of the lift larger, which reassures claustrophobic people.
Q.4) How should the lift car measurements be according to the accessibility standard?
Q.4) The dimensions of the lift car must be such that individuals using wheelchairs and other assistive devices can use it comfortably. In EN 81-70, five types of cars have been determined for accessibility lifts based on lift capacities, and these are summarized as follows. The interior dimensions of cars with single entrances, double entrances on opposite sides or doors on adjacent walls should be selected following Table 1 below.
Q.5) Is it compulsory to use a handrail (guardrail) in the car? How should the handrail be placed?
A.5) It is mandatory, following the “accessibility standard,” to use at least one handle in the lift car and to position this handle on the car wall where the Car Operating Panel (COP) is located. The handle should be cut at the points where it meets the panel, and the ends should be bent toward the wall so as not to obstruct the buttons and controls on the COP. In this way, the risk of crashing and injury to passengers decreases. If the shorter side of the COP cannot accommodate a handle with a dimension of at least 400 mm, then the handle can only be installed on one side of the COP. The grip part of the handle must have cross-sectional dimensions of 30 mm to 45 mm with a radius of at least 10 mm. The gap between car wall and handle’s grip part shall be at least 35 mm. The height of the upper edge of the handrail grip shall be 90 0mm ± 25 mm above the finished floor level. If two handles are used on top of each other, this measurement is adjusted according to the top of the upper handle. Using more than two handrails on top of each other poses an obstacle to accessibility.
| Car Type | Minimum Car Dimensions | Accessibility Level | Building Type, Usage | Explanations |
| 1 | Car Width: 1000 mm Car Depth: 1300 mm (450 kg) | This car can accommodate one unaccompanied wheelchair user. | It should only be used in existing buildings where building contraints do not allow for the installation of a type 2 car. | It offers limited accessibility for individuals using manual wheelchairs or A-class electric wheelchairs. This type of car also offers accessibility to people with sensory and mental disabilities who use walking aids (i.e., a cane). |
| 2 | Car Width: 1100m Car Depth: 1400 mm (630 kg) | This car can accommodate one person with a wheelchair and one accompanying person. | These are minimum dimensions for new buildings. | Accessibility is available for people using manual wheelchairs and those using electric wheelchairs in classes A or B. This type of car also offers accessibility to people with sensory and mental disabilities who use walking aids (i.e., a cane or crutch). The wheelchair user cannot turn around in the car, but can reverse out. |
| 3 | Car Width: 1100 m Car Depth: 2100 mm (1000 kg) | The car can accommodate a wheelchair user and several passengers. It also allows for transportation with a stretcher. | It is used for the transportation of C type wheelchairs and in public areas (such as outdoor facilities and stations). | It provides accessibility for people using manual wheelchairs or class A, B or C electric wheelchairs, as well as people using manual wheelchairs with drive attachments. Such types of cars can allow for straight circulation from the main entrance to different floors when configured with two opposing entrances. |
| 4 | Car Width: 1600 m Car Depth: 1400 mm or Car Width: 1400 mm Car Depth: 1600 m (1000 kg) | This car can accommodate one wheelchair and a couple of passengers. It also allows for rotating a wheelchair in the car. | It should be of minimum size for cars with doors on adjacent walls. | Accessibility is available for people using manual wheelchairs or electric wheelchairs in classes A or B. The type 4 car offers sufficient space for many wheelchair users and passengers using walking aids. |
| 5 | Car Width: 2000 m Car Depth: 1400 mm Or Car Width: 1400 mm Car Depth: 2000 m (1275 kg) | This car accommodates one wheelchair user and a couple of passengers. It also allows for rotating a wheelchair in the car. | Accessibility is available for people using manual wheelchairs or electric wheelchairs in classes A, B or C. Type 5 provides sufficient rotation space for people using A or B class wheelchair and walking aids (i.e., walkers without wheels, walkers with wheels). |
Q.6) Can the handrail be positioned on the opposite wall rather than on the car wall where the COP is?
C.6) Conditionally, yes. According to TS EN 81-70, in type 1, 2 and 3 cars, if the handrail restricts the car entrance width, it can be mounted on the wall opposite the COP.
Q.7) On which wall of the car should the COP be placed?
A.7) The COP should be placed on the side wall of the car as follows:
- On the right in lifts with a central door (middle opening),
- On the closing side of the door in lifts with telescopic (side opening) door.
In addition, the COP must be placed so that the minimum lateral distance between any button and the adjacent wall corner is 400 mm. (see Image 1)
Q.8) Is it mandatory to use the braille alphabet on the COP or on the buttons?
A.8) No, it is not. However, it shall comply with the relevant standard (ISO 17049) if the braille alphabet is used.
Q.9) Can the COP be placed on the front wall of the car, the corner bracket as we call it, next to the door?
A.9) This does not comply with accessibility standards, as it would make it difficult, or perhaps even impossible, for individuals using wheelchairs to access the floor buttons.
Q.10) After what depth of the car should a second COP be used?
A.10) Contrary to popular belief, using a second COP in a car is not a matter of car depth but of car width. There shall be one COP on each side wall of the car if the car width is above 1600 mm. On the other hand, in cars with entrances on adjacent walls (dual entry car), the COP shall be on each wall where there is no door.
Q.11) Should a dual button panel be used in lifts with dual entry doors facing each other?
A.11) The answer to this question changes according to the collection direction of the doors. If both opposite doors open from the center — regardless of the car width — a total of two COPs shall be used, one on each side wall of the car. If two opposite doors in the car are collected in opposite directions, then one COP shall be used in the car. Under the same conditions, if the car width exceeds 1600 mm, two COPs must be used.
Q.12) How can colors be used in car design to enhance accessibility?
A.12) In order to eliminate the problems that may arise from the reduced sense of sight in people, contrasting colors and contrasting tones shall be used appropriately in accessible cars. This will minimize the possible dangers as it will help detect objects.
Contrast is the difference in light reflectance of one surface versus another: 100% contrast is white and black, as a matte black surface absorbs all light (0% reflectance). The white surface reflects all light (100% reflectivity). To give an example of how contrast can be used in car design, a lift floor with metallic gray car walls complemented by black flooring creates a great contrast. Likewise, choosing contrasting tones between the car interior panels and the COP, as well as creating contrast between the COP and the buttons, will increase accessibility. On the other hand, it is strongly recommended for accessibility that the material to be used as flooring is “matte” rather than glossy and that it is not slippery. The minimum Light Reflectance Value (LRV) in EN 81-70, clause 5.1.2, table 2 regarding contrast shall be observed.
Q.13) What features shall audible warning systems have in accessible lifts?
A.13) There shall be an audible warning system in the car that announces at which floor the lift has arrived. This system’s volume shall be adjustable between 35 to dB(A). In noisy environments such as train stations, the volume shall be able to be increased to 80dB (A).
Q.14) According to the accessibility norms;
a) is it mandatory that doors be automatic?
Stop and car doors shall be manufactured as automatic and machine-powered tilting and sliding doors. As can be understood here, the semi-automatic doors, which are called “swinging doors,” are not appropriate for accessible lifts.
b) What are the minimum measurements for lift door entrances?
The clear door entrance width must be at least 80 0mm for type 1 cars, at least 900 mm for type 2, type 3 and type 4 cars, and at least 1100 mm for type 5 cars. The clear door entrance should be at least 800 mm for type 2 cars in existing buildings.
Q.15) Is the use of “folding seats” in the car a mandatory practice for disadvantaged individuals?
C.15) No. It is not mandatory, but if a folding seat is used in a car, it should have the following features:
It shall be at a height of 50 0mm ± 25 mm above finished ground level, at a depth of 300 mm to 40 0mm, at a width of 400 mm to 500 mm and be capable of carrying a minimum load of 120 kg.
Q.16) Can floor buttons be mounted on the door frame?
A.16) In cases where there is only one lift, floor buttons can be mounted on the door frame provided that the depth of any recess where the button is located does not exceed 250 mm. The distance of these buttons to the nearest wall shall be 500 mm (preferably 700 mm) at least. If there are at least two lifts, the stop call-buttons shall be between the lifts. By the way, floor call-buttons can be positioned on the right or left of the door.
Q.17) What other considerations should be made for increased accessibility in lifts?
A.17) To improve the use and access of lifts, especially in places where the disadvantaged are potentially located, such as train stations, hospitals and nursing homes, it is strongly recommended:
* that the height of the landing and car doors and the net height of the car be at least 2100 mm,
* to mark glass doors to avoid confusion caused by transparent materials and to ensure that lift entrances are easily identified,
* to make lifts panoramic (it reduces the risk of panic among passengers and can enable communication with the trapped person in the lift.)
* to mount handrails to all car walls except from the doors,
* that car walls should have matt surfaces to prevent glare, optical confusion and reflection caused by the light source,
* that, if there is a mirror in the car, the vertical distance between car floor and mirror’s bottom edge should be at least 300 mm.
Q.18) Are AI applications used for accessibility in lifts?
A.18) There is no definitive standard in European Norms — that we call EN standards — for AI applications in lifts. On the other hand, although there is no significant progress in our country regarding AI applications for lifts, they are becoming increasingly widespread in modern lifts in some developed countries of the world. Voice command and speech recognition, wheelchair detection and smart camera and facial recognition systems are some of these applications. The ability of the user to call the lift by giving a voice command and to state the floor they want to go to and also the ability of smart lift systems in some buildings to analyze which floor the user is on and which floors they go to most frequently and provide automatic guidance, provides great convenience to individuals with limited mobility and increases accessibility. Moreover, with the “crowd management and prioritization” application, the passenger density in the car is analyzed, priority is given to disabled, elderly or pregnant passengers, and the less crowded lift can be directed to these people.
Conclusion:
As aging is an inevitable fact for all of us, it is clear that the issue of “accessibility” will become even more important in the coming years. We should produce more comprehensive solutions by accepting that lifts are not just a means of transportation but also a technology that improves the quality of life of individuals. In this regard, the integration of AI and IoT technologies with lift technologies will enable lifts to offer a personalized and more accessible experience in the future. AI applications in lifts seem to touch our lives more in the near future, as they do in all other areas.
References
1. Asansör Yönetmeliği (2014/33/AB), 29.06.2016 tarih ve 29757 sayılı R.G.
2. Planlı Alanlar İmar Yönetmeliği, 03.07.2017 tarih ve 30113 sayılı R.G.
3. EN 81-70:2022 Safety Rules for the construction and installation of lifts – Particular applications for passenger and goods passenger lift – Part 70: Accessibility to lifts for persons including persons with disability
4. ISO/DIS 8100-7:2024 Lifts for the transport of persons and goods —Part 7: Accessibility to lifts for persons including persons with disability
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