Lift shafts on multi-storey residential blocks are one of the higher-risk construction environments on any UK site. The shaft is by definition a vertical opening from top to bottom of the building, exposed during the construction phase before the lift mechanism is installed. Falls into the shaft during construction are a recognised category of construction fatality that continues to occur despite well-established prevention measures.
The floor-by-floor protection requirement during shaft construction
The specific fall protection requirement during lift shaft construction is protection at every floor level as the building rises. As each floor is constructed, the shaft opening at that floor becomes a fall hazard that has to be protected until the permanent lift enclosure is installed. Where the protection is provided piecemeal, gaps develop and operatives working nearby are exposed.
The standard protection arrangement is a system of fixed platforms or nets at defined intervals within the shaft, together with edge protection at each floor's shaft opening. As the building rises, the protection rises with it. As the permanent lift installation begins, the temporary protection is removed in a controlled sequence.
Red Safety Netting's engagement on residential lift shaft construction includes design of the shaft protection system as part of the overall fall protection strategy for the building. The specific arrangement is agreed at pre-construction stage with the principal contractor and the lift installer, so that the protection sequence works with both trades rather than requiring modification during construction.
Coordination with the lift installer
There is a specific coordination requirement with the lift installer worth flagging. Lift installation typically happens near the end of the building's construction programme, and the lift installer needs the shaft to be in specific conditions when they arrive. Where the fall protection has been designed without considering the lift installer's requirements, the transition from construction protection to lift installation can produce unsafe intervals.
The specific fall protection technologies used in lift shafts include static safety nets fixed at floor levels within the shaft, cantilevered platform systems that extend inward from the shaft walls at defined levels, and rigid barrier systems at each floor's shaft opening. The choice depends on the shaft geometry, the construction sequence, and the coordination with the lift installer.
For principal contractors on residential blocks with lifts, the fall protection strategy for the shaft should be one of the specific items addressed in the Construction Phase Plan. Where the strategy is documented and phased against the building sequence, the risk is managed. Where it is left generic, the risk emerges during construction.
Who provides the shaft protection commercially
There is a specific commercial consideration around who provides the shaft protection. Some schemes procure it as part of the general scaffold package. Some procure it separately from a fall protection specialist. Some rely on the lift installer to provide it as part of their scope. Each approach has different implications for cost, coordination and clarity of responsibility. Getting the arrangement clear at pre-construction avoids disputes during construction.
For developers, the practical concern is that lift shaft fall protection is not a routine scope item that can be assumed to be adequately covered by generic contractor pricing. Specifying the requirement explicitly at tender stage produces contractors who have priced for the specific work. Leaving it generic produces contractors who may have priced for a lower standard than the site requires.
For QSs pricing residential block construction with lifts, the fall protection scope for the shaft should be identified as a specific line item rather than absorbed in general scaffold or fall protection provisions. The cost is meaningful and the compliance obligation is clear.
Talk to Red Safety Netting
To discuss fall protection during lift shaft construction on residential blocks on your scheme, contact Red Safety Netting on 01223 890727 or email enquiries@theglobegroup.co.uk.
