• 1. Which goods lifts are exempt from mandatory testing?
• 2. Commercial or private: Which regulations apply?
  • 2.1 Commercial use
  • 2.2 Private use

Not all goods lifts are subject to the same statutory test regulations. This article provides an overview of the inspection intervals for goods lifts that are not subject to the Lifts Directive, as well as the inspection requirements in the commercial and private sectors.

This article refers exclusively to goods lifts that are not covered by the Lifts Directive (2014/33/EU). For a lift to be assigned to this category, the following requirements must be met:

• No passenger transportation: The lift may only be used for the transportation of goods.
• Limited speed: The maximum travel speed must not exceed 150 mm/s.

As these lifts are not classified as systems requiring monitoring in accordance with the German Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health (BetrSichV), there is no requirement for regular testing by an approved inspection body (AIB) such as TÜV, DEKRA, GTÜ or SGS. A commissioning test by an AIB is also not required. Instead, the conformity assessment is carried out by the manufacturer or distributor.

Note: Even if there is no legal obligation to have a test carried out by an external inspection body, operators can arrange for a voluntary test by an expert if they wish.

Further information: More on this in the article Does every lift have to be tested by TÜV?

Whether and which inspection intervals apply to a goods lift also depends on its use. Stricter regulations apply in companies and businesses than in the private sector.

In the commercial sector, a goods lift is considered work equipment and is therefore subject to the requirements of the German Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health (Betriebssicherheitsverordnung, BetrSichV) and the Accident Prevention regulations (Unfallverhütungsvorschriften, UVV). Operators must pay particular attention to the following points:

• UVV inspection: An annual inspection in accordance with UVV (Accident Prevention Regulations) is required. This must be carried out by a qualified person.
• Technical qualification: The qualified person must have sufficient technical knowledge to be able to correctly assess the safety of the lift.
• Inspection intervals: The frequency and scope of the inspections are determined by the operator. The basis for this is the risk assessment in accordance with BetrSichV (German Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health). The manufacturer's system documentation can serve as a guide.

Less stringent regulations apply to privately used goods lifts. There is no statutory inspection obligation. Nevertheless, the operator is responsible for the safety of the system.

In addition, insurance companies may require the system to be inspected in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications. This may constitute an indirect inspection obligation.