Hoistway access into the open

The development of a building may sometimes require the access to the lift to be placed in the exterior.

Lift doors (automatically sliding doors) are neither heat insulated nor watertight by design, due to regulations and the way they are operated. Air and humidity (rain, snow and transferred water) invade the hoistway passing through the gap which gives rise to corrosion and sweat water. Frozen door steps might result in malfunctions during winter.

Exterior hoistway doors are a breach and jeopardize the facility’s overall security. This door might be breached so that the building is easily accessible if it lacks special interlock installation.

These issues can be remedied by installing specialised anterooms with heat insulated doors.

A canopy might keep light rain at bay but they fail to provide sufficient protection from heavy rain or snow drifts. A space saving alternative; a water-tight access door which is mounted directly in front of the actual hoistway door that saves the hoistway from cold air (see also directive on heat insulation) and heavy rain or snow drifts.

Potential danger lies in the gap between the car’s door and the door placed in front of it. A number of requirements have to be met in order to save passengers from harm:

• The gap may be at most 10 mm wide. To guarantee that no one can be trapped.
• Surveillance (e.g. by photoelectric barrier) of the clearance in which people might stay. If this light barrier is interrupted, the lift door does not close.
• For lift systems with anterooms it must be possible to request the lift again or rather that the hoistway door can be opened from the inside at all times.

Control panels and displays are situated behind the access door since they can’t be made waterproof.