NSW Government Workplace Guidelines

Vertical Transportation

The quality of the vertical transportation within the building is very important. Long delays or cramped conditions are common concerns building occupants have. General lift requirements are defined in the Building Code of Australia (BCA) and AS 1735. The PCA has categorised the following levels of service for each classification of buildings:

Premium	Waiting interval not to exceed 25 seconds, handling capacity in excess of 15% and a high quality ride with low noise. At least one dedicated goods lift.
Grade A	Waiting interval not to exceed 30 seconds, handling capacity around 14% to 15% and a good quality ride.
Grade B	Waiting interval not to exceed 35 seconds, handling capacity around 13 to 14%.
Grade C	Waiting interval not to exceed 40 seconds, handling capacity around 12 to 13%.

Once the maximum waiting interval has been agreed then the lift speed can be determined. Based on the travel distance and the speed then the most appropriate lift can be selected for the building.

Most lifts are now required to meet equal access requirements, which are defined in AS 1735, Part 12.

Where the effective height of a building is in excess of 12m as defined in the BCA it shall have suitable provisions for evacuation of an occupant on a stretcher. For high rise buildings with an effective height of in excess of 25m as defined in the BCA a lift must be available for the Fire Brigade or other emergency services.