Commercial Platform Lift
A guide to platform lifts for businesses and public buildings: the lift types, the Equality Act and Part M, LOLER inspections, servicing and costs.
What is a commercial platform lift?
A platform lift is a slow-moving lift designed for people with impaired mobility, including wheelchair users. In a commercial setting it is typically used where a full passenger lift isn’t needed or isn’t practical — a few steps at an entrance, a staircase in an older building, or a low-rise building where only one or two floors need to be connected. Platform lifts travel at no more than 0.15 m/s and are operated with hold-to-run controls.
Types of commercial platform lift
Lift type | How it works | Typical commercial use |
|---|---|---|
Step lift | Open platform rises straight up | Entrance steps, split levels, stages |
Incline platform lift | Folding platform runs along the stairs | Existing staircases in older buildings |
Enclosed platform lift | Cabin or platform in its own enclosure | Connecting floors in low-rise buildings |
Portable step lift | Freestanding, wheeled into place | Events, temporary access, rented units |
Under Approved Document M, a lifting platform that travels more than 2 m should have a liftway enclosure.
The duties behind commercial lifts
Equality Act 2010. Service providers and employers must make reasonable adjustments so disabled people aren’t put at a substantial disadvantage. For service providers the duty is anticipatory.
Building Regulations. New buildings and altered parts of existing buildings must meet Approved Document M, which covers access including lifts and lifting platforms. See our platform lift building regulations guide.
Standards. Vertical lifting platforms are built to EN 81-41, and inclined lifting platforms to EN 81-40. Our EN 81-41 vs EN 81-40 guide explains the difference.
Lifts for specific buildings
Each type of building brings its own considerations:
Platform lift for schools — accessibility plans, busy staircases and evacuation.
Platform lift for churches — chancel steps, galleries and church approvals.
Platform lift for listed buildings — consent and reversible installations.
Platform lift for shops and restaurants — entrance steps, toilets and floor space.
Planning a commercial lift?
Tell us about the building, the levels you need to connect and how the lift will be used, and we’ll match you with vetted installers who can survey the site. Free to you, with no obligation.
→ Enquire about a commercial platform lift
Inspections and servicing
A lift that carries people at a workplace is lifting equipment under LOLER. It needs a thorough examination by a competent person, typically every six months, and a written report. That is separate from routine servicing, which keeps the lift running reliably and catches wear before it causes a breakdown. Most organisations combine the two in a maintenance contract. Our guide to platform lift servicing cost explains what affects the price.
Keep the examination reports and service records. Insurers, landlords and inspectors will ask for them.
Choosing a commercial platform lift
Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
How high is the rise? | Short rises suit a step lift; longer travel needs an enclosure |
Is there a staircase that must stay in use? | An incline lift uses it; a vertical lift leaves it clear |
How busy will it be? | Heavy use favours a robust, enclosed installation |
Who will operate it? | Independent use needs clear controls; key switches stop unsupervised use |
Is the building listed? | Shapes what can be fixed and where |
Inside or outside? | Outdoor lifts need a weatherproof specification |
What a commercial platform lift costs
Lift type | From (installed) |
|---|---|
Step lift | £6,389 |
Incline platform lift | £8,000 |
Enclosed platform lift | £10,000 |
Starting prices for supply and installation. Commercial projects often involve builder’s work, fire-rated enclosures or bespoke finishes, so a survey gives the firm figure. See our disabled platform lifts prices guide.
Arrange a survey
The right commercial lift depends on the building, the rise, the users and how the space is run. A survey settles it, free and with no obligation. Tell us about your building and we’ll match you with vetted installers who cover your area. Installers pay us only when we refer a genuine enquiry, so our interest is in matching you well.
