Hold-to-run: the button must be held for the whole trip
UK platform lifts installed under the Machinery Directive as short-rise Category 1 lifts are ‘hold-to-run’: the call button must be pressed continuously for the whole journey. Release it early and the lift stops immediately. If you're used to a domestic cabin lift where you press once and let go, this is the first thing to check.
Safe to check yourself
Press and hold the up button. The lift should start within 1–2 seconds and continue for as long as you hold it. Release only when the platform has reached the top landing.Check every gate on every level
Every landing gate and, on enclosed platform lifts, the platform gate must be fully closed and latched before the lift will move. This is enforced by a reed switch or mechanical interlock on each gate — a single one open takes the whole lift out of service.
- Half-height gates on step lifts must be closed with the latch engaged.
- Full-height doors on enclosed platform lifts must be closed and locked.
- Ramps and flap-down loading edges must be fully raised.
The isolator and the fuse spur
UK platform lifts sit on a dedicated fused spur, usually a 16 A or 20 A switched isolator near the lift. Confirm it is on and the neon (if fitted) is lit. Check the consumer unit for a tripped RCD or MCB labelled ‘Lift’. Do not attempt to reset a repeatedly tripping RCD — that is signalling a real fault.
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Describe your symptom →Hydraulic bleed-down on hydraulic platform lifts
Most UK platform lifts are hydraulic. Overnight, a small amount of oil can pass back through the control valve, so the platform sits a few millimetres lower in the morning than it did at night. This is normal. However, if the platform has bled all the way to the bottom and refuses to lift at all, the reservoir may need topping up or the valve may be failing — engineer job. Do not top up the oil yourself; wrong grade or overfill will damage the pump.
Overload sensor
Platform lifts have load ratings from 250 kg (light domestic) to 500 kg (heavy commercial). The load cell will stop the lift moving if it thinks capacity is exceeded. Check:
- Weight of person + wheelchair + any oxygen or bag on the wheelchair.
- Whether anyone is standing on the loading ramp with a foot still on the platform edge.
- Whether snow, water or debris has built up on the platform (a real cause on outdoor lifts in winter).
When to stop and call
Stop — call an engineer
Isolate the lift and phone your service provider if:
- You hear the pump run but the platform doesn't rise (or only partially rises then stops).
- There is any smell of hot oil or hydraulic fluid visible near the pump.
- The gates all appear closed but the lift reports one open.
- The lift is in a public or workplace setting — LOLER applies and unauthorised interference is an offence.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I have to hold the button on all UK platform lifts?
- Yes for Category 1 (short rise, open platform) lifts, which is the vast majority. Enclosed Category 3 platform lifts (like a mini cabin lift with full doors) can be single-press. Check the label on the control panel — it will state the operating mode.
- How much of a morning sag is acceptable on a hydraulic platform lift?
- A few millimetres is normal. More than 10 mm overnight, or a lift that has crept down noticeably during the day, indicates a valve failure that should be reported at the next service.
- The lift rises fine going up but refuses to go down. Fault?
- Usually a gate interlock or landing sensor fault at the top landing — the lift can't be told it's safe to release the top gate to lower. See our <a href="/symptoms/platform-lift/gate-interlock-fault/">gate interlock guide</a>.
- Is a platform lift covered by LOLER?
- In workplace or public settings, yes — 6-monthly thorough examinations apply. Purely private domestic platform lifts are outside LOLER but still need to be maintained to the manufacturer's schedule to remain safe and to hold their CE marking.
- Can I use the lift while I wait for a repair?
- Only if the service provider confirms in writing that the fault is not safety-critical. Never assume a lift that has thrown a fault is safe to continue using — many gate and load-cell faults are precisely the ones that could allow a serious accident if ignored.