A fixed handrail or guardrail in the elevator pit that provides a safe handhold and fall protection for maintenance personnel working in the pit.
Full Definition
The pit safety rail is a structural handrail installed in the elevator pit to provide maintenance personnel with a secure handhold and fall protection when accessing and working in the pit. EN 81-20 specifies the required height and strength of pit handhold devices, and mandates a clearance space — typically a 0.5 m × 0.6 m × 1.0 m safe refuge — that is kept free when the car descends to the buffer. The pit safety rail assists personnel in maintaining balance on the pit floor, which may be wet or uneven, and in climbing in and out safely. It must be robust enough to withstand a static load of 900 N and must not impede access to pit equipment including buffers, tension sheaves, and the pit stop switch.
