EN 81-28 is the standard for remote alarm systems in lifts. It requires two-way voice communication between a person trapped in the car and a rescue service staffed by people at all times, acknowledgement so the trapped person knows the call was received, regular automatic self-testing of the link, and a backup supply that keeps communication alive during a power cut.
What does the standard cover?
EN 81-20 requires a means of emergency communication in the car; EN 81-28 describes how it has to work. The scope is not only the device: where the call lands, the person there, and the continuity of the system are all part of it.
What it means on site
- Two-way voice communication between the car and the rescue service
- Acknowledgement so the person in the car knows the call was received (visual or audible)
- The rescue service being able to identify which lift the call came from
- Filtering logic that weeds out false alarms
- Automatic, regular verification that the link still works
- A backup supply that keeps communication running for a period during a power cut
Durations and intervals may differ between versions of the standard; the current text is binding. Confirm with your notified body before inspection.
Common misconceptions
- “A bell is enough”
- It is not. A bell depends on someone in the building hearing it; the standard asks for someone who answers.
- “A landline is required”
- It is not. The standard does not mandate a connection type; it asks for reliable communication. GSM-based lift phones meet that.
- “The device is installed, so we're done”
- Not quite. Keeping the subscription alive, the battery healthy and the automatic tests passing is the operator's responsibility.
What the operator has to do
During a periodic inspection the link is tested live: a call is started from the car and the inspector sees that someone answers and that two-way speech is established. The most common non-conformity is administrative rather than technical — the device is in place but the SIM subscription has lapsed or the line was cut.
That is why a device that reports its own status, a maintenance system that shows which device serves which lift, and kept test records take a real load off the operator.
Frequently asked questions
- What is EN 81-28?
- EN 81-28 is the standard for remote alarm systems in lifts. It requires two-way voice communication between the car and a rescue service staffed by people at all times, and evidence that the system keeps working.
- Does EN 81-28 require two-way speech?
- Yes. The person in the car has to be heard and answered. A one-way alarm bell does not meet the requirement.
- How often should a lift alarm be tested?
- The standard requires the link to be verified automatically at regular intervals. For the interval and the record format, check the current text of the standard and your inspection body's expectations.
- Does the lift alarm work during a power cut?
- It has to. The standard requires a backup supply so that communication can continue for a period; in practice this is the battery inside the device.
- Does a GSM lift phone comply with EN 81-28?
- The connection type alone does not determine compliance. A GSM-based lift phone that provides two-way speech, acknowledgement, identification, automatic testing and backup power meets what the standard asks for.