A firefighting lift is designed to be used by firefighters during a fire, giving them fast, protected access to the upper floors of a building. An evacuation lift is designed to move people who can’t use the stairs, such as wheelchair users, safely away from a fire. They’re two different systems doing two very different jobs, and it’s important not to mix them up.
Both are true life-safety systems. They exist for the one moment when everything else has gone wrong, which is exactly why they have to work when the time comes. In this guide we’ll explain what each lift is, how they differ, and the UK standards and duties that sit behind them.
Firefighting Lifts vs Evacuation Lifts: What’s the Difference?
These two get confused a lot, but they’re built for opposite groups of people:
- A firefighting lift is there for the fire and rescue service. Firefighters use it, under their own control, to reach the fire and carry their equipment up the building. It isn’t meant for evacuating residents, and it shouldn’t be built into Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs), because it needs to stay under fire-service control at all times.
- An evacuation lift is there for the people in the building, especially anyone with reduced mobility, to get them safely away from danger as part of a managed evacuation.
Sometimes a single lift is designed to do both jobs, but even then the functions, the controls, and the purpose stay separate.
When Is a Firefighting Lift Required?
In the UK, guidance in BS 9991 and BS 9999 sets out when a building needs a firefighting lift. As a rule of thumb, buildings taller than 18 metres, or with basements deeper than 10 metres, will need one. And if a building is supposed to have a firefighting lift but doesn’t, or it isn’t working, that building can be considered non-compliant. It really is treated as an essential part of the fire strategy, not a nice-to-have.
The UK Standards for Firefighting & Evacuation Lifts
A few standards work together here, and there have been some big updates recently that are worth knowing about:
BS EN 81-72: Firefighting Lifts
BS EN 81-72 covers the design and construction of firefighting lifts, on top of the general lift construction standard BS EN 81-20:2020. It deals with things like fire-rated shaft and lobby construction, protection against water getting in, a backup power supply, dedicated firefighter override controls, and solid emergency communication.
BS EN 81-76:2025: Evacuation Lifts
BS EN 81-76 is the equivalent standard for evacuation lifts, with a strong focus on accessibility and how the lift is used during a managed evacuation. Here’s the important bit: BS EN 81-76 was published as a full British Standard in 2025, replacing an earlier draft version (DD CEN/TS 81-76:2011) that was never actually adopted in the UK. That makes it one of the most significant developments in inclusive fire-safety design for years, because it finally spells out detailed design requirements for evacuation lifts that used to be only loosely described.
BS 9991:2024 and BS 9999
BS 9991:2024 is the current code of practice for fire safety in the design, management, and use of residential buildings, and it updates the older guidance. BS 9999 does a similar job for other building types. Between them, they set out when firefighting and evacuation lifts are needed and how they fit into the wider fire strategy.
Key Design Features
Because they have to perform in an emergency, these lifts come with features an ordinary passenger lift simply doesn’t have:
- Protected shafts and lobbies: fire-resisting construction around the shaft and lobbies, sometimes with smoke ventilation or pressurisation.
- Backup power supply: a secondary power source so the lift keeps going if the mains fails. Under BS EN 81-76, a Class A evacuation lift without a backup supply has to have automatic rescue operation.
- A safe waiting space: for evacuation lifts, a protected area next to the lift on each floor (often around 1500 x 2100 mm of clear space) where someone can wait in relative safety.
- Dedicated controls and communication: firefighter override for firefighting lifts, and managed evacuation controls plus emergency voice communication for evacuation lifts.
- Minimum size and speed: evacuation lifts have to meet BS EN 81-20 and go above a minimum speed, which rules out slower platform-lift-style devices for this role.
Evacuation Lift Classes
BS EN 81-76 splits evacuation lifts into classes. Class A lifts are for simpler buildings, for example a residential block that only needs one designated evacuation floor and no firefighter lift. Class B lifts are for more complex situations, with extra controls for multiple floors or where a full firefighter lift is also in place.
Testing, Maintenance & the Building Safety Act
None of this counts for much unless the lift is proven to work when it’s needed. That’s where the Building Safety Act 2022 comes in: since February 2023, there have been new requirements to regularly test fire-fighting and evacuation lifts in higher-risk buildings. If you’re responsible for one of these buildings, you need that testing done, recorded, and ready to show as evidence. Specialist independent inspection against BS EN 81-72 and BS EN 81-76 confirms the lift is ready on the day it’s checked.
Deltron Lifts can inspect, test, and maintain firefighting and evacuation lifts to the relevant standards, so you can be confident they’ll do their job if the worst happens.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a firefighting lift and an evacuation lift?
A firefighting lift is used by the fire service, under their control, to reach and tackle a fire. An evacuation lift moves people, especially anyone with reduced mobility, safely away from a fire during a managed evacuation. Different users, different purposes.
When does a building need a firefighting lift?
UK guidance generally calls for a firefighting lift in buildings taller than 18 metres or with basements deeper than 10 metres. If one is required but missing or not working, the building can be non-compliant.
Can a firefighting lift be used to evacuate people?
Not as a matter of routine. Firefighting lifts need to stay under fire-service control and shouldn’t be relied on in Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans. Evacuation lifts are the ones designed for moving people out.
What is BS EN 81-76:2025?
It’s the British Standard, published in full in 2025, that sets out the design and construction requirements for evacuation lifts, replacing the earlier draft that was never adopted. It covers lifts that help evacuate people with disabilities.
How often must firefighting and evacuation lifts be tested?
Under Building Safety Act requirements in place since February 2023, fire-fighting and evacuation lifts in higher-risk buildings need regular testing, with records kept as evidence. A competent lift provider can set the right schedule for your building.
