The horizontal clearance between the car door sill and the landing door sill when the elevator car is at a floor level, regulated to prevent tripping and entrapment hazards.
Full Definition
The car door sill gap is the horizontal distance measured between the car sill edge and the landing sill edge when the car is level at a landing. EN 81-20 limits this gap to a maximum of 35 mm in the direction perpendicular to door travel to prevent a passenger's foot from becoming trapped. Gap dimensions can increase over time due to building settlement, car guide wear, or sill wear. Regular measurement and recording of sill gaps at each floor are required as part of the periodic maintenance inspection. Excessive gaps must be corrected by sill replacement, shimming, or car guide adjustment. The gap is also relevant to accessibility standards, as larger gaps pose a tripping hazard for wheelchair and mobility-device users per EN 81-70.
