Rank: Super forum user 
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Can anyone assist please? I am being asked to assist a team of electricians produce a SSOW for carrying of electrical periodic testing and inspection of equipment in lift shafts. These are carried out in conjuction with the lift engineers with staff riding the rop of the lift car to access the equipment. I'd like to make sure I'm not missing something and am intending to include consideration of:
Asbestos
Fall restraint/arrest
Emergency procedures and recovery
Electrical isolation permits
Temporary lighting
Prevention of access to open shafts
Training and competence
Any help would be welcome please.
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Rank: Guest 
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Max, I am a qualified lift engineer, can you please clarify some points for me.
What equipment are the electricians testing or inspecting? No other services are allowed in a lift shaft.
I have only ever seen Asbestos string used in the electrical trunking of very old lifts, I have never seen asbestos in any other form.
Unless the lift is a wall climber (outside of a building) there is no need for Fall restraint/Arrest, normally there is a hand rail round the back of the lift where the counterweight passes, and the gaps to the sides are minimal.
Why would electrical isolation be used?
Existing lift entrance doors would prevent access to the shaft.
The lift engineer should be fully trained and competent.
If you can supply more information I can help you.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Sean,
Thanks that's appreciated; basically from what I know at this point they are servicing light fittings and fire detection equipment, i.e. smoke/heat detectors etc. We'll obviously be reliant on the competent lift engineers to operate the car, ensure access/egress etc. I've not yet met with those guys and had a look at the lift being used in that manner, so bear with me, I'm only used to being one as a passenger. We're talking about standard residential tower blocks, so if there isn't an opportunity for staff to fall, that helps greatly.
Any advice would be welcome.
Thanks again
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Rank: Guest
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Max in that case you really do not have anything to worry about, the public will not be at risk, the lift engineers have a function on top of the lift where they have full control of it. They will drive the lift up to the top of the shaft so your engineers can service the smoke/heat detectors, they should be able to carry out this function without any problem.
Shaft lights are located down the shaft at regular intervals, these should be easily accessible from the top of the lift, most lifts also have an independent light on top of the lift, so switching off the shaft lights shouldn't be a problem.
If you have any further questions then I am happy to help.
Contact the lift company who have the service contract, they should have all the relevant information, but be prepared to pay for a lift engineer to be on site, it can be quite costly, and there's no way around that.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Only circuits I've seen in lift shafts were lightig circuits - installed for the benefit of lift engineers!
From first principles, I'd be looking for a lift engineering company to have the necessary competencies to do any work in the shaft first hand.
Asbestos used as acoustic panels in lift doors and sometimes disturbed due to poor management by the duty holder. Historically used in friction linings upstairs in the winding rooms.
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Rank: Super forum user
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In a previous existance I surveyed and analysed asbestos containing materials and I have been in lift shafts that have water servces located in them which have been lagged with asbestos in various forms, (admittedly these were old buildings and old lifts). Indeed I have seen some shafts which have been lined with asbestos panels and seen access hatches that lead from the top of the shaft to the roof plant room lined with asbestos. So please beware. Please also be aware of the potential for discarded needles in the bottom of the shaft, it is not unknown. Users have been known to discard them between the lift car and shaft where they then drop to the floor/pit.
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Rank: Guest
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Maybe during my long service as a lift engineer I was lucky not to come across any asbestos lined walls, ceilings, doors, access panels etc...
I have also never seen any other services inside a lift shaft.
In reality a trained lift engineer should be competent to service the lights and smoke/heat detectors, after all I used to install everything in the shaft including electrics, and I'm sure things haven't changed that much.
Its not just needles you find in lift pits, anything and everything imaginable can be found, if your lucky or in some cases unlucky!
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Rank: Super forum user
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Many Thanks everyone who has posted responses; some useful pointers that are very helpful.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Chas and Sean both make useful observations and you do need to make some differentiations between newer and old lifts as they do tend to pose different issues on some occassions.
Bob
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Rank: Forum user 
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MaxPayne wrote:
Many Thanks everyone who has posted responses; some useful pointers that are very helpful.
I will 2nd That!
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Rank: Forum user
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If they are working in Lift Shaft, would confined space come into this as well?
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Rank: Super forum user
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JYoung - In my view it would be unlikely that a 'specified risk' as defined in the confined spaces regs would arise in a tower block/housing lift shaft situation, although it could arise if it were say down a mine shaft.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Re my previous comment. It was a bad anaolgy, mines are exempt from the regs, but nonetheless I hope you get my point.
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