Some areas in Europe (Italy, Greece, Romania, Portugal) have had frequent seismic events, and those had consequences also in the safety of the lifts installed there.
For this reason CEN/TC10 has recently worked out a standard for lifts in the seismic areas, EN 81-77, which establish the specifications for the lifts to be installed in those areas, depending on how they are classified.
Koppel A.W. Srl, when required, may supply lifts already conforming with this new standard, for all the different levels of severity of the possible seismic events (type 1, 2 or 3).
In particular, the electric lifts, with or without machine room, will have a counterweight which cannot escape from its guide rails, which is one of the most frequent dangerous events in the case of earthquake.
The most important thing to avoid is that, during these events, someone may go on using the lifts, with the serious risk to be trapped in the car, when the building itself after some time might collapse. Actually, in one of the last earthquake in Italy (L’Aquila), some of these events happened, even if the emergency service has been able to evacuate these persons before the collapse.
Antiseismic lifts of course are operated by an adequate switch which is able to recognize the seismic conditions, and in that case takes the control of the car, in order to evacuate the persons inside the same at the closest safe floor, and then to avoid a further use of the lift.
By the way, Koppel A.W. Srl offers hydraulic antiseismic lifts, which are considered to be safer than the equivalent electric type, because the piston based mechanics are safer than the counterweight system, and also because there is no critical equipment within the well, as it is in a MRL model.
In any case Koppel A.W. Srl shall be happy to give to clients any useful indication to give the appropriate solutions to clients.