European Elevator Capacity Signs May Underestimate Passenger Weight

Research presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul on May 12-15 finds capacity signs for the maximum number of passengers allowed in elevators across Europe fail to reflect current obesity trends, outlets including the Medical Xpress report. The study’s author, past clinical professor of medicine at University College of London Nick Finer, said failure of elevator manufacturers to adapt to rising obesity levels and adjust capacities accordingly — particularly since 2002 — means journey times are likely to be increased and safety could be compromised. Finer looked at the past five decades — 1972-2022 — and found average passenger weight allowance increased significantly between 1972 and 2022 (ranging from 55 kg [121.2 lb]  to 91.7 kg [202.1 lb]), but saw no significant increase in the assumed average weight of passengers after 2002. Historically, European standards such as EN 81-20 assumed an average weight of 75 kg (165 lb) per person. Finer collected sample capacity sign data from elevators in Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K. In the U.K. the average weight of men in the 1970s was 75 kg (165 lb), and the average weight of women, 65 kg (143 lb). That has increased to 86 kg (189.5 lb) and 73 kg (160.9 lb), respectively, today. As for elevators, “modernizing these signs and systems is crucial for maintaining safety, enhancing performance and increasing accessibility,” Finer said.