Reference
Lift Glossary
Plain-English explanations of the words and parts you will meet when you own, manage or troubleshoot a lift in the UK. Each entry covers what it is, where you find it, how it works and when to call an engineer.
37 terms across 7 categories.
Showing 37 of 37 terms.
Lift types
8 termsgoods lift
A lift built to move materials rather than people, with a rugged car, heavy-duty doors and, in many cases, no permission to carry passengers at all.
Read the definitionhome lift
A small passenger lift installed in a private dwelling, usually serving two floors and built to the machinery rules rather than the commercial lift rules.
Read the definitioninclined platform lift
A folding platform that travels on a rail along a staircase, carrying a wheelchair user up the same flight the stairs cover.
Read the definitionlift
A powered machine that carries people or goods between fixed levels of a building, guided by rails and controlled from landings and from inside the car.
Read the definitionpassenger lift
A lift designed and rated to carry people in a building, with landing doors, a car with doors, and a duty rating for continuous use.
Read the definitionplatform lift
A slow-travelling lift with an open or enclosed platform, used mainly to move a wheelchair user over a short rise.
Read the definitionstairlift
A powered chair or standing platform that travels along a rail fixed to a staircase, letting one person ride between floors while seated.
Read the definitionthrough-floor lift
A domestic lift that travels through an opening cut in the bedroom floor, closing the hole with a powered ceiling flap when it leaves.
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Doors and entrances
4 termscar door
The powered door on the lift car itself, driven by the door operator and responsible for opening the landing door as well.
Read the definitiondoor operator
The motor and gear on top of the car that opens and closes the doors and reports their position to the controller.
Read the definitionlanding door
The door in the wall at each floor, locked shut until a lift car is present and level behind it.
Read the definitionlanding gate
A manually opened gate at the landing of a platform or goods lift, interlocked so it cannot be opened unless the platform is there.
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Drive and machine
4 termsbearing
A supported pivot that lets a shaft, roller or wheel turn smoothly; worn bearings are a common noise source.
Read the definitionhydraulic lift
A lift pushed up by oil pumped into a ram and lowered by letting that oil flow back to the tank under control.
Read the definitionlift components
The parts a lift is assembled from — drive, controller, doors, guides, ropes, sensors — supplied by specialist makers rather than by the lift installer.
Read the definitiontraction lift
A lift raised and lowered by friction between ropes or belts and a driven sheave, balanced by a counterweight on the other end.
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Controls and electrics
5 termscharging strip
Contacts on the stairlift rail that charge the batteries whenever the chair is parked correctly.
Read the definitioncontroller
The electronic brain that reads calls and safety signals, drives the motor and doors, and records faults.
Read the definitionemergency stop
A latching switch that cuts the drive immediately and holds the equipment stopped until it is released.
Read the definitionfault code
A number, letter sequence or lamp pattern the controller shows to identify why it stopped.
Read the definitionkey switch
A keyed switch that isolates or enables the equipment, used to prevent unauthorised use.
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Safety devices
9 termsentrapment
A passenger stuck in a lift car between floors or behind closed doors, released only by trained responders.
Read the definitionfootplate
The fold-down platform a stairlift passenger rests their feet on, carrying obstruction sensors on its underside.
Read the definitiongovernor
A speed-sensing wheel in the shaft that triggers the safety gear if the car ever descends too fast.
Read the definitioninterlock
A lock and switch combined, so a door cannot be opened unless the car is there and the lift cannot move unless the door is locked.
Read the definitionlight curtain
An array of infra-red beams across the door opening that holds the doors open while anything breaks a beam.
Read the definitionobstruction sensor
Any sensor that stops travel when something is in the way — under a stairlift footplate, beneath a platform, or across a doorway.
Read the definitionsafety edge
A sprung or sensitive strip on the leading edge of a door that reverses it the moment it touches an obstruction.
Read the definitionsafety gear
Mechanical jaws under the car that grip the guide rails and hold the car if it ever descends too fast.
Read the definitionswivel seat
The turning stairlift seat that locks either facing the stairs for travel or facing the landing for a safe exit.
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Structure
3 termsguide shoes
The sliding or rolling parts at the corners of a car frame that hold the car steady against the guide rails.
Read the definitionlift car
The enclosure passengers ride in, hung from the drive and running on guides, carrying the controls, lighting, alarm and load-weighing gear.
Read the definitionlift shaft
The enclosed vertical space the car travels in, including the pit below and the headroom above.
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Service and compliance
4 termslubrication
Planned oiling and greasing of rails, tracks, gears and bearings, carried out at service visits.
Read the definitionmaintenance
Planned, scheduled work that keeps equipment safe and reliable, separate from breakdown repairs.
Read the definitionservice visit
A scheduled attendance where an engineer works through the maintenance schedule and records the outcome.
Read the definitionthorough examination
An independent safety examination of lifting equipment carried out at set intervals and reported in writing.
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What this lift glossary is for
The Lift Troubleshooting glossary is a practical reference built for anyone who owns, manages, specifies or maintains a lift in the United Kingdom. It explains the language of the lift industry in plain English, turning jargon into short, useful definitions that help you understand what a component does, why it matters and what to do when it misbehaves.
Every entry starts with a concise definition and then expands into the details that matter day-to-day: where the part sits in the lift system, how it interacts with other components, which regulations apply, and the symptoms you might see when something goes wrong. We also highlight terms that are often confused with one another, so you can tell the difference between, for example, a controller and a drive, or a pit switch and an emergency stop.
The glossary is organised by category rather than by strict alphabetical order, because most people arrive with a problem in mind. You can browse groups such as doors and gates, controls and drives, safety devices, regulations and maintenance. If you already know the word you are looking for, the search bar filters the list instantly as you type, so you can jump straight to the right entry.
We keep the language practical and safety-first. The definitions describe what you can observe from the landing or car, and they point out the checks that are safe for a competent person to carry out. Anything that needs a trained engineer, specialist tooling, or access to restricted spaces is clearly marked as such, and we never suggest forcing doors, removing panels or entering the lift shaft or pit.
Each term page also links to related guides, symptoms and knowledge base articles elsewhere on the site. That means the glossary is not just an isolated dictionary: it is a connected reference that helps you move from a single word to a fuller understanding of the system around it. Whether you are reading a fault code, comparing quotes or preparing for a service visit, the glossary gives you the vocabulary to ask the right questions and understand the answers.
The definitions are written from a UK regulatory perspective, so they reference British Standards, the Lift Regulations 2016, LOLER and PUWER where relevant. They are not a substitute for the standard itself or for professional advice, but they give you enough context to discuss compliance confidently with your maintenance provider.
Inside each entry you will find a short definition at the top, followed by a deeper explanation of how the term fits into everyday lift operation. Most pages also list related terms, common misconceptions, and a clear note on when the issue needs a qualified lift engineer rather than in-house attention.
New terms are added as the site grows. If you cannot find the word you need, use the contact form to suggest it and we will consider it for a future entry.