RAMS for Lift Engineers
Generate compliant risk assessments for lift installation, maintenance, and inspection in under 2 minutes. LOLER 1998, PUWER, Confined Spaces Regulations, and CDM 2015 cited automatically.
Built with UK health & safety regulations in mind
Lift engineering is one of the most tightly regulated engineering disciplines in UK construction and facilities management. The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) create specific obligations for lifts as lifting equipment: statutory examination by a competent person, written scheme of examination, and documented inspection records. The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) applies to all equipment used by lift engineers in the course of their work. And for lift installation on a new build or refurbishment project, CDM 2015 applies.
Beyond the statutory framework, lift engineering presents genuine and serious physical hazards. Working in lift shafts combines confined space risk, fall from height, counterweight crush risk, and working with electrical systems at pit and machine room level. Engineers working on escalators and moving walkways face entrapment, entanglement, and electrical hazards. Principal contractors, building managers, and facilities management companies all require RAMS before any lift engineering work begins.
swiftRMS generates lift engineer RAMS in under 2 minutes. Specify the lift type, the work being carried out (installation, maintenance, inspection), and the specific hazards of the shaft and machine room environment. Get a compliant PDF that cites LOLER 1998, PUWER 1998, Confined Spaces Regulations 1997, and CDM 2015 correctly.
What Lift Engineers RAMS Must Include
Compliant risk assessments for lift engineers work must cover these specific areas
LOLER statutory examination requirements
Lifts are lifting equipment under LOLER 1998. Regulation 9 requires thorough examination at 6-monthly intervals for passenger lifts, and annually for goods-only lifts. RAMS for maintenance work must reference the written scheme of examination and confirm that the lift is within its examination interval.
Shaft entry and confined space controls
Lift shafts are frequently classified as confined spaces under the Confined Spaces Regulations 1997. RAMS must assess the confined space risk, document the entry procedure (permit to enter, atmospheric monitoring, rescue plan), and confirm the competency of the confined space supervisor and rescue team.
Counterweight and suspension rope hazards
The counterweight in a traction lift can weigh hundreds of kilograms and is permanently under tension. RAMS must document isolation of drive to prevent unexpected counterweight movement, the procedure for working in the pit, and the controls for working at the top of the car.
Electrical isolation and lock-off
Lift electrical systems operate at mains voltage and involve control circuits, motor drives, and safety devices. RAMS must document the isolation procedure under EaWR 1989: which supply points to isolate, verification of isolation, and lock-off with key retention by the working engineer.
Working at height in the shaft
Working from the top of the lift car, on the landings above pit level, and in the machine room at height. WAHR 2005 applies. RAMS must specify fall prevention: safety gear on top of car, secure anchor points, and controlled access to shaft landings.
CDM obligations for new installation
Lift installation on a construction project is a notifiable CDM activity in many cases. RAMS must address the interface with the principal contractor, the lift contractor's Construction Phase Plan contribution, and the handover to the LOLER duty holder on completion.
Common Lift Engineers Tasks That Require RAMS
Generate RAMS for any of these tasks in minutes, not hours
New lift installation (traction and hydraulic)
Full CDM-controlled project. RAMS must cover structural interface, electrical installation, shaft access, and commissioning. LOLER applies from the moment the lift carries its first load.
LOLER statutory examination (6-monthly or annual)
Thorough examination by a competent person. RAMS must cover pit entry, car top inspection, machine room access, and the documentation of defects found.
Routine preventive maintenance
Monthly or quarterly maintenance under the maintenance contract. Shaft entry, lubrication, adjustment, and safety device testing. RAMS covers the work scope and the specific hazards of the lift type.
Emergency breakdown response
Out-of-hours work, potential passenger entrapment, working under time pressure. RAMS must cover passenger release procedure, tools required, and lone working controls.
Lift modernisation and refurbishment
Working on an existing lift to replace drive, controls, or car equipment. CDM may apply. LOLER applies during testing. RAMS must cover the interface with the existing shaft and building structure.
Escalator and moving walkway maintenance
Entanglement and entrapment hazards from moving parts. Electrical isolation, guarding removal, and working in the escalator truss. PUWER applies.
Dumbwaiter and goods lift maintenance
Different risk profile to passenger lifts: smaller, potentially less accessible, and in diverse locations (restaurants, hospitals, warehouses). LOLER applies regardless of lift type.
UK Legislation for Lift Engineers Risk Assessments
Every RAMS automatically cites the relevant UK legislation and industry standards
Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER)
The primary legislation for all lifts and lifting equipment. Regulation 9 requires statutory examination. Regulation 8 requires that all lifting operations are planned, supervised, and carried out safely. Every lift engineer RAMS must reference LOLER.
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)
Applies to all work equipment used by lift engineers: tools, testing equipment, maintenance stands, and the lift itself as a work platform.
Confined Spaces Regulations 1997
Lift pits and shafts are frequently confined spaces. Entry must be subject to a permit, atmospheric monitoring, and a documented rescue procedure.
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (EaWR)
All electrical work in lift machine rooms, control panels, and shaft wiring falls under EaWR. Isolation and lock-off procedures must be documented.
Work at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR)
Working on top of lift cars, in shafts at height, and in machine rooms with floor openings all involve work at height.
CDM Regulations 2015
Lift installation and major modernisation on construction projects falls within CDM. Lift contractors are typically a specialist contractor under the principal contractor.
How swiftRMS Generates Lift Engineers RAMS
swiftRMS generates lift engineer RAMS by asking about the lift type (traction, hydraulic, escalator), the work scope (installation, maintenance, inspection, emergency), the machine room configuration, and whether pit entry or car top work is required.
LOLER is cited automatically for all lift work. Pit entry triggers Confined Spaces Regulations 1997 controls and the permit to enter requirement. Electrical work triggers EaWR 1989 isolation controls. Car top and shaft work triggers WAHR 2005 fall prevention controls.
The PDF is structured around the specific work sequence: arrival on site, machine room access, isolation, shaft or pit entry, work completed, reinstatement and test, and handover. It is formatted for submission to building managers, principal contractors, or as part of a maintenance contract health and safety file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Passenger lifts must be thoroughly examined at intervals not exceeding 6 months. Goods-only lifts require examination at 12-monthly intervals. The examination must be carried out by a competent person (typically a lift engineer or specialist inspection body such as LEIA accredited inspectors or an insurer's engineer).
Not always, but frequently. The Confined Spaces Regulations 1997 define a confined space as one that is substantially enclosed, involves a risk of death or serious injury from hazardous substances, or is not designed or intended for continuous occupancy. Lift pits typically meet this definition due to their limited entry/exit, poor ventilation, and the presence of electrical and mechanical equipment. Carry out a confined space risk assessment for each pit before entry.
LOLER requires that lifting operations and examinations are carried out by competent persons. In practice, lift engineers working in the UK are typically trained through the LEIA (Lift and Escalator Industry Association) apprenticeship or equivalent, and are members of the Lift Industry Training Association (LITA). Specific LOLER examinations require an independent inspection body or authorised examiner.
The written scheme of examination is a LOLER Regulation 9 document specific to each lift, typically prepared or endorsed by the competent person or inspection body. swiftRMS generates the RAMS for the engineering work: the plan of work, risk controls, and method statement. The written scheme of examination is a separate document that must be prepared by the LOLER competent person for each individual lift.
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