The rule to remember.
Call for help. Stay inside. Leave the rescue to qualified people.
Use the lift’s alarm or emergency phone.
Try to remain calm and keep clear of the doors. Use the marked alarm or emergency-call control and follow the instructions beside it; some systems require the button to be held for a stated time. Give the system time to connect and listen for a reply.
An audible bell alone does not confirm that someone has received your call. If you cannot establish contact and have mobile reception, call the building’s emergency contact or the lift maintenance number displayed inside.
Tell the responder what they need to know.
- The building name, address and lift number, if shown.
- How many people are inside, including children or anyone who needs assistance.
- Any injury, illness, breathing difficulty or other urgent concern.
- What happened and any displayed floor or message. Describe what you can see without opening anything.
Ask the responder to confirm that help has been arranged. Tell them if anyone’s condition changes. There is no single guaranteed release time for every incident.
When to call 999.
Call 999 if there is fire or smoke, a serious medical emergency or another immediate danger. Tell the operator that you are trapped in a lift and give the building address. If you cannot make the call yourself, tell the person answering the lift alarm to contact the emergency services.
Do not wait for a routine maintenance response when someone is in immediate danger. Follow the emergency operator’s instructions.
Stay inside until you are helped out.
Do not prise the doors apart, climb through an opening or attempt to reach a roof hatch. A lift can be between floors, and an opening may expose the shaft. The car may also move unexpectedly.
Do not jump, rock the car or interfere with panels to try to restart it. Keep children and pets close, and stay away from the entrance. The alarm button calls for assistance; it is not a means of making the car move.
Even if you can see a landing, do not attempt to scramble out. Wait for qualified rescuers to make the situation safe and direct your exit.
If you are outside the lift.
Contact the building manager or the maintenance provider shown at the site. Speak calmly to those inside if you can do so without touching the mechanism, and pass on any urgent concerns.
Do not use keys, tools or force to open landing doors, and do not switch supplies or attempt a reset. Keep others away from the affected entrance. If someone is in immediate danger, call 999.
Report what happened.
Once everyone is safely out, let the responsible person know if the alarm failed, the displayed contact details were wrong or communication was difficult. The lift should only return to service when the responsible provider has confirmed it is appropriate.
Building managers should keep response arrangements and emergency contacts current. A website enquiry form is not an entrapment alarm.