Elevator rides feel routine, but behind each trip is a system of sensors, motors, brakes, and doors working in step. In 2025, new safety standards ask owners, builders, and service teams to prove that these parts are not only present but also tested and recorded. The aim is simple: fewer accidents, faster fault finding, and safer rides for people of all ages and abilities. These rules reach from construction sites to high-rise offices and older apartment blocks. They stress planning, training, and clear records rather than guesswork. If you own or manage a building, understanding the updates now will save you headaches later—and keep your lifts running safely, smoothly, and with less downtime.
What Changed In 2025
The 2025 standards focus on prevention and proof. They push for better door safety, smarter controls, stronger fire response, and clear maintenance logs. They also call out older lifts that need upgrades. A quick look:
- Verified protection: Sensors must be checked with a documented test, not just visual approval.
- Fault tolerance: Key parts need backups, so a single failure won’t cause loss of control.
- Usable records: Digital logs should show tests, dates, parts changed, and who did the work.
- Access and inclusion: Clear car voice alerts, floor numbers, and braille labels are emphasized.
- Construction and modernizations: Temporary lifts and upgrade projects must meet tighter site rules and shutdown procedures.
Smarter Control Systems
Modern controllers now need more than basic logic. The 2025 rules ask for independent checks on speed, position, and door status. Many systems use dual-channel inputs: two separate circuits confirm the same fact (like “doors closed”). If the signals disagree, the lift stops safely and reports the fault. You’ll also see stricter rules on overspeed protection: an encoder tracks motion while a separate device checks speed and direction, so a wiring error won’t slip through. Control networks must fail safe: if a board loses power or a cable breaks, the brakes apply and the car stays put. Trend logs store faults with time stamps, helping technicians spot patterns instead of chasing random alerts.
Stronger Doors And Gates
Most elevator injuries involve doors. The 2025 standards raise the bar for detection and strength. Full-height light curtains are becoming the norm, with more beams and faster response to small objects like a child’s hand or a stroller wheel. The rules ask for a door pre-close scan at every landing: if the path isn’t clear, the doors won’t start closing. Door operators must prove they can reopen under obstruction without slamming or dragging. Mechanical parts—rollers, linkages, hangers—need rated life data and service intervals in the log. For freight and service lifts, gates and sills must take higher impact loads, and anti-lift devices reduce the risk of a car moving with doors not safely secured.
Better Fire And Power
Fire and power events are where clear rules save lives. The 2025 update calls for firefighter service checks that test recall to a safe floor, car park, and manual controls with verified voice and signal alerts. Machine rooms, if present, need marked emergency shutoffs and posted procedures. Battery systems or auxiliary power must support a controlled stop and door release—so riders are not stuck between floors during a brief outage. Smoke sensors linked to the control system should trigger recall and lockout correctly; false signals must be logged and traced. Where power quality is poor, standards push for surge protection and clean grounding to keep sensitive boards from failing during storms or grid swings.
Maintenance Plans That Work
A plan on paper is not enough. The standards expect task-based maintenance that matches each lift’s use, age, and fault history. That means setting intervals for real items, not vague “monthly service.” Think in clear tasks:
- Check brake coil current, air gap, and spring force; record readings.
- Verify overspeed device trip with a simulated signal, not a guess.
- Test door edges and light curtains with a probe set, including child-hand tests.
- Inspect ropes or belts for wear limits by measurement, not by looks.
- Review error logs; schedule fixes before they become shutdowns.
When inspections are predictable and recorded, costs drop and uptime rises—because small issues get fixed before they strand riders.
Data And Remote Checks
Many lifts now report data to secure portals. The 2025 rules accept remote monitoring, but they also insist on data integrity. If a sensor value is used for safety, its source and path must be verified. Remote alerts should include time, floor, error code, and last actions taken. Useful metrics include door cycles, starts per hour, brake temperature, and failed call counts. With this, teams can spot a door track that needs cleaning days before it sticks. Still, remote tools don’t replace on-site tests. The standard is clear: remote is assistive, not a shortcut. Final safety tests must happen at the lift, with recorded pass/fail results and technician sign-off.
Rules For Construction Sites
Temporary and construction lifts get strict attention in 2025. Site hoists and modernized cars must include clear exclusion zones, barricades, and posted load limits. Controls need guarded switches so a bump doesn’t send the car moving. Landing gates should have interlocks—if a gate is open, the car won’t run. Power tools, dust, and wet work can confuse sensors, so daily checks are required: door safety, emergency stop, communication line, and over-travel limits. If the site changes (new scaffold, added floor), the lift plan changes too, with updated drawings and briefings. The rule is simple: a busy site is noisy and unpredictable; the lift must still act in a calm, predictable way every single time.
Training For Staff
Even the best hardware fails without trained people. The standards now call for role-based training: building staff learn rider rescue basics and when to call a technician; technicians practice fault scenarios with checklists; managers learn how to read logs and approve work. Clear steps matter: isolate power, secure the car, talk to riders, open doors safely, and record the event. Regular drills build muscle memory. The rules also stress plain-language signs: floor numbers in large print, step-by-step instructions near emergency intercoms, and short, recorded messages inside the car. When people know what to do and why, panic drops, and incidents end faster, with less risk to riders and staff alike.
What Owners Should Do
If you own or manage a lift, set a short action list for 2025:
- Get a baseline audit: note controller type, safety devices, door tech, and code gaps.
- Update the maintenance plan: tie tasks to data, not months on a calendar.
- Fix door safety first: full-height light curtains and a tested reopening force.
- Improve records: digital logs with photos, readings, and technician names.
- Plan for power events: battery support for controlled stops and door release.
- Schedule training: staff drills every six months with clear roles.
Make upgrades by risk and impact. Door safety and brakes often give the fastest safety gains per dollar, while smart logs and remote alerts help you prevent repeat faults.
Costs, Timelines, And Payoff
Budgets are real, and so are benefits. Door upgrades typically cost less than controller swaps but remove a large share of injury risk. Adding redundant sensors and verified brake tests raises reliability without a full rebuild. Remote monitoring lowers emergency callouts because problems are caught during routine visits. For older lifts, plan a staged path: start with door safety and communication, then move to control changes, and finally consider machine and car modernization. Map each step to a date, cost range, and risk drop. When you attach numbers to risk, choices get easier to explain to boards and tenants—and the work gets done instead of pushed to next year.
A Safer Ride Ahead
The 2025 elevator safety standards point to a steady goal: fewer surprises. They ask for better parts where it matters most, hands-on tests that prove safety, and records that anyone can read. If you manage a building, take these rules as a chance to set a clear plan, train your team, and remove guesswork from daily service. Good safety also means better uptime and calmer riders. When you need support—from audits to staged upgrades—reach out to a trusted partner that speaks plainly and delivers steady results. For a practical next step, schedule a review with LifTech Elevator Solutions and turn today’s checklist into tomorrow’s safer rides.