What to Do If Your Lift Stops Working

Whether you own a building with a lift or have a residential one, you will eventually have a breakdown with your lift. It may be minor, but what do you do if your lift suddenly stops?

Check the Basics First

Check that the electricity is still on, as this is the main reason a lift will not work. Your lift should have a backup generator that has to be manually started if it didn’t start up on its own when the electricity went out.

If the operator room has any flashing lights, be sure to report this to the maintenance crew. They’ll know what the issue is and why it’s not working.

Block the Lift

As soon as you realise the lift is not working, be sure to let people know by placing a caution tape over the doors. You may use an out of order sign instead if you don’t have tape, but be sure to show clearly that the lift is not functional. This may cause some frustration, but not as much as someone trying repeatedly to call the lift and getting upset when it doesn’t arrive.

Call for Help

Once you’ve ascertained that the cause is not something simple like the electricity going out, it’s time to call for help. Your lift maintenance company or installer should be able to help you. If you don’t have one, then you should certainly make a point of finding a maintenance company immediately. Find one that offers emergency services day and night.

Ideally the repair person will arrive within a short period of time. You should alert them if there are people inside the lift, but either way, you need to get the lift functional as soon as possible. This is particularly important if the lift is the only one in the building.

If Someone is Trapped

Sometimes, the lift stops while people are still inside it. If this is the case and the doors will not open for you, it’s best to simply have them wait calmly. Don’t attempt to pry open the doors unless there is a medical emergency inside the lift or a fire in the building. In this case, call emergency services and then attempt entry if they tell you it’s a good idea. Otherwise, you’ll need to wait for the professionals to arrive.

Lifts are useful to have in a building with multiple levels, but you should know what to do if something goes wrong. If you’re having problems with your lift or just want some regular maintenance, contact ADL Lift Services for help.