EN 81-70 sets accessibility rules so a lift can be used safely by everyone, including persons with disability. Car and door dimensions, the layout and tactile or Braille marking of controls, handrail and mirror, audible and visual information, and an alarm everyone can understand are all within its scope.
What is it for?
A lift can be “working” and still be unusable: if a wheelchair does not fit, if the digit on a button cannot be read by a blind passenger, or if the floor is only shown on a display. EN 81-70 turns that difference into measurable rules.
It does not stop at the car: the approach area on the landing, the height of landing call buttons and door dwell times are part of it too.
Main requirements
- Car and door dimensions chosen so a passenger using a wheelchair can enter and leave
- Controls at an accessible height, marked with raised digits and Braille
- Buttons giving visual and audible feedback when pressed
- A handrail in the car and — opposite the door — a mirror that helps manoeuvring
- Floor and direction information given both on a display and by voice announcement
- An alarm whose acknowledgement can be understood by users who are deaf or blind
- Doors staying open long enough for comfortable entry and exit
Dimensions and durations vary with the lift type and the version of the standard. Base project choices on the current text and on the applicable accessibility regulation.
Accessibility and emergency communication
EN 81-70 and EN 81-28 meet exactly at the alarm. When the button is pressed, a sound alone is not enough; showing visually that the call was received keeps a deaf user in the loop.
The position, height and tactile marking of the alarm button are part of this standard too — however good the device is, a button that cannot be reached is of no use.
Where does it come up?
It applies directly in buildings with accessibility obligations: public buildings, hospitals, schools, shopping centres and workplaces. In residential projects an accessible lift is an increasingly common expectation as well.
In existing buildings it is not always possible to enlarge the car during modernisation; there, improvements to buttons, marking, announcements and the alarm make a meaningful difference.
Frequently asked questions
- What is EN 81-70?
- EN 81-70 is the standard that sets accessibility rules so lifts can be used by everyone, including persons with disability: car and door dimensions, controls and marking, audible and visual information, and the alarm.
- Which buildings need EN 81-70?
- It comes up directly in buildings with accessibility obligations — public buildings, hospitals, schools and shopping centres among them. For the binding scope, check the applicable accessibility regulation.
- Is Braille marking mandatory on lift buttons?
- In accessible lifts, buttons are expected to carry raised digits and Braille and to give visual and audible feedback when pressed.
- Are voice floor announcements required?
- In lifts within the scope of accessibility, floor and direction information is expected to be given by voice as well; a display alone does not serve a blind passenger.
- Does EN 81-70 cover emergency communication?
- The alarm system itself is governed by EN 81-28; EN 81-70 asks that the alarm be usable by everyone — the button within reach, and the acknowledgement shown visually as well.