Barrier-free elevators are becoming standard – including the two-sense emergency call

Barrier-free 2-sense emergency call for elevators

The standards for elevators are undergoing a significant change towards accessibility with the introduction of the European standard EN 17210:2021. This step, which concerns the accessibility and usability of the built environment, is not only of national but also of European importance. With its publication in January 2021, this standard has triggered a fundamental effect towards a barrier-free environment, which also has a significant influence on the design of elevators and escalators. In this article, special attention is paid to the requirement for a two-sense emergency call in elevators.

Normative background

In January 2021, the European standard EN 17210:2021 Accessibility and usability of the built environment – Functional requirements was published. The European foreword specifies that this European standard must be given the status of a national standard. This could be done either by publishing an identical text or by recognition until July 2021. In Germany, it was adopted verbatim as a DIN standard. In August 2021, the standard DIN EN 17210 “Accessibility and usability of the built environment – Functional requirements” (German version of EN 17210:2021) was published. It is a partial replacement for the national standards DIN 18040-1:2010-10, DIN 18040-2:2011-09 and DIN 18040-3:2014-12, which must be revised accordingly by February 2024.

The scope of the standard covers all publicly accessible buildings that can be entered and used by anyone according to their intended purpose, such as cultural and educational facilities, sports and leisure facilities, healthcare facilities, office, administrative and court buildings, retail, catering and accommodation facilities as well as parking spaces, garages and toilet facilities.

EN 17210:2021 was developed in close cooperation with CEN/TC 10 ‘Lifts, escalators and moving walks’, so it is not surprising that the standard also has an influence on the future design of elevators and escalators.

For the mechanical design, reference was made in many points to the current EN 81-70, but also extended in some cases. The design and features of the elevator controls and communication systems are now very important, especially in emergency situations. In particular, an acoustic emergency call system must be available for assistance in an emergency (e.g. in elevators). It is further specified that in the case of interactive elements, such as intercom systems or emergency call systems, all information must be provided both acoustically and visually.

Two-sense emergency call in elevators

As elevators are intended to be used independently by a large group of people with very different abilities and needs, special requirements for elevators are set out in the explanatory notes. It is particularly emphasized that not only access and easy-to-understand and safe usability for all must be ensured, but also operation in the event of an emergency or evacuation (elevators for emergency rescue). It is made clear that the design and characteristics of the elevator controls and communication systems are of utmost importance for the use of the elevator. Especially in an emergency, voice communication systems are not sufficient for people with hearing impairments (deaf people and people with hearing aids). They must therefore be supplemented by alternative visual aids and hearing assistance systems. The specific requirements for emergency call systems and voice connections are specified. The elevator car must be equipped with a barrier-free emergency call button for all persons in accordance with the multi-sensory principle, which can be used to establish a connection to an emergency call center at any time. In the current version, reference is still made to DIN EN 81-28 for two-way speech connections.

Communication with the emergency call center must be understandable and accessible for all people in accordance with the multi-sensory principle. In the case of hearing or speech impairment, visual communication is required as a second sense. The ASME A17.1-2019 standard (link is external), which applies in North America, shows how this can be technically implemented. The emergency call is triggered via a push button in the car control panel with a telephone symbol and a voice connection is established, as also described in EN 81-28. A graphic display shows that the connection is being established and that the voice connection is active.

The display can also be used for bidirectional text-based communication with the emergency call center. The display also shows the status of the rescue from ‘Help is on the way’ to ‘Emergency personnel have arrived and are starting the rescue’. A video system allows a view into the cabin in the event of an emergency. In buildings with a high headroom, an operating terminal must be installed in the evacuation stop or a local emergency center that displays the status of the elevators and also enables local two-senses communication. The entire communication line must be supplied with emergency power for at least 4 hours.

Displays: Possible applications beyond accessibility

In the event of an emergency, displays with two-senses communication meet the requirements of the new standards: They provide the text-based communication channel (in various languages) with the emergency call center. Communication can take place via the touch function of the display or via the buttons on the car control panel. It is also possible to connect a camera to the display in the event of an emergency.

But display systems can also offer other benefits for operators of public buildings: In normal elevator operation, for example, they can be used to display news, information, tenant directories and site plans, as well as current dates and multimedia data.

flexyPage®: tried-and-tested display system with two-sense emergency call

The flexyPage Smart Display System with integrated two-sense emergency call is a tried-and-tested, ready-to-install solution that meets the (future) requirements of European, German and North American accessibility standards. The displays can be retrofitted in elevators and emergency call points of any brand and type and are compatible with all commercially available emergency call devices.

The display solution expands existing voice emergency call systems with the text-based chat function including translation function and optional video connection in the cabin. People can communicate with the emergency call center in different languages using the touch function or buttons. The flexyPage Messenger is used in the emergency call center, which expands the existing systems for managing emergency calls.

flexyPage displays are available in various designs and sizes from 7 inches to 46 inches. They are highly resistant to vandalism. In normal operation, they can display a wide range of elevator signals, multimedia data and information. Detailed information on the barrier-free two-sense emergency call can be found on the product website: flexypage.de/en/flexypage-messenger

Summary

The European standard EN 17210:2021 and the upcoming national DIN EN 18040 1-3:2024 mark a milestone in the design of accessible elevators. These standards, which relate to the accessibility and user-friendliness of the built environment, are guiding standards for barrier-free construction in publicly accessible areas. For elevators, the standards have a major influence on the barrier-free design of the operating elements and emergency call systems, which must be safe and comprehensible for all users in the event of an evacuation or emergency. The standards stipulate that for interactive elements such as emergency call systems, all information must be provided both acoustically and visually in order to provide appropriate support for people with hearing impairments. A central component is the two-sense emergency call, which ensures that communication with the emergency call center is understandable and accessible for everyone. This includes the integration of visual and acoustic signals as well as the provision of text-based communication. Technologies such as flexyPage® displays offer innovative solutions to enable text-based emergency calls in elevators and increase user safety, both in new buildings and as a retrofit solution. Overall, the standard aims to improve the accessibility and safety of elevators for all user groups and thus promote a barrier-free built environment. As the scope of the standards covers all publicly accessible buildings, accessible elevators are becoming the standard in Europe.