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Lift Testing • Final Checks • Handover
Elevator Commissioning in Bangladesh: Testing Before Handover
Installation is not the last step. A lift should be checked, tested and reviewed before normal use. Commissioning brings the mechanical, electrical, control and safety checks together before project handover.
Installation verification
Functional testing
Safety checks
Handover review
Quick answer
Elevator commissioning is the structured final-check stage after installation. It verifies that the lift operates as intended, key safety functions respond correctly, identified defects are addressed, and the project is ready for the required inspection, documentation and handover process.
Before normal operation
Commissioning finds problems before they become handover problems
A lift can look complete while adjustment work is still needed. Doors may need tuning. Floor levelling may need correction. A control input, limit switch or safety circuit may need another check.
That is why commissioning should be treated as a technical verification stage, not as a ceremonial switch-on. The exact test programme depends on the lift system, project specification, applicable requirements and site conditions.
Planning point: keep access to the shaft, pit, controller or
machine area available until commissioning observations and corrective work are closed.
Commissioning scope
What should be checked before lift handover?
A useful commissioning plan moves from physical installation checks to controlled operation and safety verification. Test methods and acceptance limits must follow the selected equipment, approved documents and applicable project requirements.
01 Installation condition
02 Electrical & controls
03 Doors & levelling
04 Safety functions
05 Operating performance
06 Records & handover
Mechanical installation
Review visible installation condition, guide and moving components, accessible fixings, ropes or suspension components where applicable, pit equipment and machine or controller areas.
Electrical and control system
Check power, earthing, control connections, operating signals, call functions, indicators and relevant electrical safety circuits.
Doors and floor levelling
Confirm car and landing door operation, locking or interlock functions, reopening behaviour and accurate stopping at the landing.
Safety functions
Verify the safety devices relevant to the selected lift. This can include emergency stops, limits, governor and safety gear functions, buffers, overload protection and emergency functions.
Operating tests
Run the lift through the required operating sequence and observe travel, stopping, calls, direction, ride behaviour and other functions defined by the project and manufacturer.
Close-out and handover
Record observations, correct outstanding defects, repeat affected tests when required, and organize the agreed commissioning and handover records.
A controlled sequence
A practical lift commissioning process
01
Confirm the lift is ready for testing
Review installation status and make sure incomplete civil, electrical or elevator work will not make the test unsafe or unreliable.
02
Inspect accessible equipment
Check relevant shaft, pit, car-top, landing, controller and machine-area conditions before full operating tests begin.
03
Check electrical and control functions
Verify required connections, calls, indicators, switches, safety circuits and operating modes according to the selected system.
04
Test movement, doors and stopping
Observe travel in both directions, landing stops, levelling, door cycles and other operating functions required by the project.
05
Verify applicable safety functions
Carry out the specified safety tests using the correct procedure, equipment and competent personnel. The exact tests vary by lift design.
06
Record, correct and recheck
Log defects or adjustments, close outstanding items and repeat relevant checks before the commissioning stage is signed off for handover.
Testing is system-specific
Safety and operational tests need more than a visual inspection
Bangladesh building-code material for lifts includes testing of operating and safety conditions before normal service. It refers to functions such as motor and brake control, levelling, doors and door locks, rated-load operation, safety gear and buffers.
The actual commissioning method must still match the lift model, approved technical documents, project specification and the requirements that apply to that installation. Generic figures should not be treated as universal settings.
- Brake and control response
- Landing levelling
- Door operation
- Door locking functions
- Safety circuits
- Emergency functions
- Specified load testing
- Buffers and limits
Bangladesh project context
Plan commissioning before the installation team leaves site
Lift projects in apartment buildings, offices, hospitals, hotels, factories and other developments often involve several parties. Elevator work can depend on civil completion, permanent power, earthing, generator or emergency-power arrangements, shaft readiness and access to technical areas.
If these items are unfinished, commissioning can stop halfway or produce misleading results. A pre-test review helps identify what must be completed before formal testing starts.
Regulatory note — checked September 2026
BNBC lift provisions available in current reference material state that new lifts are to be inspected and tested before being put into normal service. Project owners should confirm the current approval, inspection and certification requirements applicable to their building and authority.
For a wider overview of Bangladesh lift requirements, see our lift safety and BNBC guide.
Handover
What should the client review at the end?
Handover should make the lift's status clear. The exact documents depend on the contract, equipment and project requirements, but the owner or consultant should know what was tested, what was corrected and what remains outstanding.
- Commissioning or test records required by the project
- List and status of identified defects or adjustments
- Relevant equipment or operating documents supplied for handover
- Applicable inspection or acceptance records
- Outstanding-work list, if any
- Clear transition into the required maintenance arrangement
Do not confuse commissioning with routine maintenance
Commissioning is mainly the verification and handover stage for a newly installed or substantially changed system. Routine servicing begins after the lift enters operation.
Inspection may also be a separate requirement
Project commissioning does not automatically replace an inspection, certification or acceptance process required by an authority, consultant, client or contract.
Load testing has its own technical scope
Where a formal load test is required, the procedure, test load, measurements and acceptance criteria should follow the applicable technical requirement rather than an assumed generic value.
Common questions
Lift commissioning FAQ
These are practical questions to settle before booking a commissioning visit.
When should elevator commissioning start?
It should start when the installation is sufficiently complete for safe, meaningful testing. Required power, access, shaft and pit condition, landing interfaces and relevant civil or electrical work should be ready.
Is commissioning the same as lift installation?
No. Installation covers erection and connection of the lift system. Commissioning follows installation and checks whether the completed system operates and responds as required before handover.
Does commissioning include load testing?
Load-related testing may form part of the required commissioning or acceptance programme, but the exact scope depends on the lift, project specification and applicable requirements. Formal load-testing needs should be agreed before testing starts.
What happens if a commissioning test finds a problem?
The issue should be recorded, investigated and corrected. The affected function should then be checked again before it is treated as closed.
What information helps when requesting commissioning support?
Share the building location, lift type, current installation status, number of stops, available technical documents, known outstanding work and the specific testing or handover requirement. More accurate project information makes technical planning easier.
Need to plan lift testing and commissioning?
Send the project details, installation status and required testing scope. The technical team can review what information is needed before the next step.