Cabin Ventilation, Code Requirements and Expreimental Results

If a lift cabin is built in accordance with the ventilation requirements specified in EN 81, it is almost universally assumed that the cabin is adequately ventilated. Experiments were conducted to confirm this assumption. The experiments involved simulated entrapments of passengers for a period of 30 minutes in lifts installed at the Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Air quality was monitored during the entrapments. Several of the experiments had to be stopped before completion of 30 minutes as the air quality had degraded to levels considered to be unhealthy by occupational health authorities. The experimental methods and their results are reported. Recommendations for improved cabin ventilation are made based on the experimental results.