This Technical Report investigates and highlights the main risks associated with using lifts (elevators) for the evacuation of persons in various types of emergency.

The types of emergency under study arise from fire, flood, earthquake, explosion, biological or chemical attack, gas leakage, lightning or storm damage in the building being studied or a building adjacent to it.

The purpose of this Technical Report is to provide a process for making decisions relevant to the design of lifts and buildings, in order to determine if a given design can enable the lifts involved to be used with an acceptable level of safety.

It is not intended that all buildings be designed for all risks and, consequently, it is not intended that all lifts incorporate all features mentioned. It is the responsibility of the building designer to determine events that are likely to occur, given the building's importance, function, occupancy, status, location, use, size, etc.

It is not the responsibility of, nor is it possible for, lift manufacturers to determine whether or not a lift can be used safely as a means of evacuation in a given building. It is the responsibility of other parties to make this decision. The lift manufacturer can only advise on the capabilities of a particular lift design or the status of the lift at a particular point in time.

The philosophy adopted in this Technical Report can be applied to any building, be it large, small, new or existing. In practice, its application to existing building designs can prove to be difficult and uneconomic in many instances.