Lifts and Safety Components for Lifts Directive (2014/33/EU)
Directive 2014/33/EU, officially titled “on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to lifts and safety components for lifts (recast)”, was adopted on 26 February 2014 and sets out unified rules on placing lifts and specific safety components on the European market. Its aims to ensure a high level of safety for users, maintenance workers, and third parties, by prescribing essential health and safety requirements & To promote the free movement of lifts and safety components across EU Member States by harmonising technical, assessment, and conformity rules.
The Directive replaces and repeals the older Lifts Directive 95/16/EC as of 20 April 2016.
It is a “product / placing on the market” directive: it governs how lifts (once installed) and their safety-critical components are introduced, certified, and traced in the EU marketplace, rather than dictating exactly how every lift must be designed.
The Directive applies to:
- Lifts permanently installed in buildings or constructions for the transport of persons and/or goods.
- Safety components that are intended to be used in or with such lifts (e.g. braking systems, overspeed limiters, safety gear) that have independent safety importance.
Note: A “lift” is only considered a finished product once it has been permanently installed. Hence, lifts themselves are not imported in the same sense as parts, but are “placed on the market” once installed.
The Directive explicitly does not apply to:
- Devices with a speed ≤ 0.15 m/s (very slow lifts)
- Funiculars, cableways, escalators, moving walkways
- Lifting equipment designed primarily for use in industrial or construction settings (hoists, cranes, etc.)
- Lifts in certain transport vehicles (e.g. ships, aircraft) or lifts used exclusively for maintenance access in industrial machines
- Special military or policing lifts, or those forming an integral part of transport systems (e.g. cable car, funicular)
To place lifts or safety components on the EU market, the Directive mandates conformity assessment processes and CE marking.
Safety Components
Safety components (e.g. overspeed governor, safety gear, buffer) must undergo conformity assessment via modules like:
- Module A (internal production control)
- Module B + other modules (type examination + production quality)
- Module C, D, E, etc. depending on type and risk
The manufacturer must affix CE marking, issue an EU Declaration of Conformity, and maintain technical documentation for 10 years.
Lifts (Once Installed)
For lifts, conformity assessment is more complex, since they are final products only once installed. The Directive provides modules like:
- Unit verification (Module G)
- Full/Production quality assurance plus design examination
- Conformity to type plus random checking
The installer usually plays a key role and must apply for verification via a notified body, providing technical documentation, test results, etc.
Also, lifts must bear CE marking once conformity is verified.
Role of Notified Bodies
A notified body (an independent authority designated by Member States) reviews quality systems, inspects production, carries out audits, and may perform surprise inspections or tests.
They issue approvals, certificates, and maintain records. Their identification number is affixed along with the CE mark on safety components when relevant.
Responsibilities of Economic Operators
- Manufacturers: Ensure design, production, testing, conformity, technical documentation, marking, instructions, and traceability.
- Importers: Verify that the safety components they bring from outside the EU comply, that conformity has been assessed, and maintain documentation.
- Distributors: Act diligently, check for CE marking and declaration, ensure correct storage/transport, and in case of nonconformity, take corrective actions, report risks to authorities.
If an importer or distributor modifies a product, they become a “manufacturer” under the Directive and assume all corresponding responsibilities.
Economic operators must retain supplier/sales chain data for 10 years for safety components.
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