What is BS 8899 - Improvement of fire-fighting lifts about?
BS 8899 discusses the improvement of firefighting lifts and evacuation provisions in existing lifts. BS 8899 gives recommendations for the improvement and maintenance of firefighting and evacuation provisions in existing lifts. It applies to lifts installed permanently into buildings that are either already designed for fire and rescue service use or as evacuation lifts or intended to be modified to include such features.
BS 8899 covers the significant hazards, hazardous situations, and events relevant to lifts for fire and rescue service use and evacuation lifts. BS 8899 applies to the lift installation only. It does not give recommendations for the fire-resisting structure of the building or other elements of the building design and management.
Who is BS 8899 - Improvement of fire-fighting lifts for?
BS 8899 on the improvement of firefighting lifts is useful for:
- Lift manufacturers
- Health and safety bodies
- Architects
- Civil engineers
- Builders
- Estate managers
- Lift maintenance personnel
Why should you use BS 8899 - Improvement of fire-fighting lifts?
For more than 75 years, lifts have been used by fire and rescue personnel in fighting fires and evacuation of persons from buildings, but each lift product offered different solutions as to their usability for this purpose. BS 8899 has been developed to assist in improving firefighting and evacuation provision in lifts installed before the publication of BS EN 81-72:2015.
BS 8899 gives recommendations for the improvement of existing lifts regarding fire-fighting functionality. Any improvement of an existing lift towards the provisions of a firefighter’s lift is expected to have the benefit to those carrying out fire and rescue operations.