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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Lift broken at work

208 replies

Mitara · 21/07/2025 09:04

The lift has been broken in my workplace for the last month.

The employer said he has been waiting for a part that he ordered.

However i have heard him moan about the cost of getting the lift fixed. He said that it will cot him thousands of pounds to get it fixed . He wont be paying for it out of his own pocket. It will come out of company money, but he just doesnt like paying for it.

The lift being broken has resulted in me and other members of staff having to walk up and down a lot of stairs more for normal tasks, and we are also having to do heavy lifting up and down stairs. I honestly feel like im going to collapse.

Is there any law or workplace safety regulation that states that an emloyer must get a lift fixed, if not having a lift is causing health and safety risks to employees.

I was trying to look it up last night but havent found anything specific yet. I would love to find something specific and show it to him

OP posts:
Topseyt123 · 21/07/2025 09:14

What sort of work do you do? What heavy lifting does it involve that necessitates use of the lift as you mention?

I don't know about the legal health and safety angle and there are still some buildings that don't have lifts.

I'd be unhappy too, mainly because I don't have great balance and as I am getting older I struggle more and more on stairs.

Does your employer (or their landlord) not have a maintenance contract for the lifts? I thought most would have for major heavy equipment like that.

MissMoneyFairy · 21/07/2025 09:15

Not sure if there's a law about the lift but there is about lifting and handling, what sorts of things are you carrying up and down. Have you looked at the acas site, is there an occupational health depths, what sort of industry is it.

RevolutionHere · 21/07/2025 09:16

can you do your moving and handling safely without a lift?

Ohmygodthepain · 21/07/2025 09:16

What sort of heavy lifting? And do you have any sort of health issue that means you need to use a lift?

You could argue that it is unsafe to do heavy lifting up and down stairs, and stuff should be stored on the ground floor until the lift is fixed.

caramac04 · 21/07/2025 09:17

I wouldn’t mind walking the stairs but would not be happy about carrying stuff up or down as I have a fear of falling which makes me slow and tentative if I’ve got my arms full.
Not everyone can manage stairs easily and they have now lost a pre-existing facility which is unreasonable.

needtostopnamechanging · 21/07/2025 09:17

If you feel it is dangerous for you to be carrying things up and down the stairs that is a reason to not do it /ask for help /adjustment to work

they don’t have to provide a lift
they do have to make sure you are safe

MissMoneyFairy · 21/07/2025 09:19

If you go to the HSE website, lifts at work are covered by regulations, all the info is there.

verycloakanddaggers · 21/07/2025 09:21

Lifting up and down stairs instead of using a lift needs a revised risk assessment.

They should take that seriously.

Has anyone had any accident or near miss? Report everything formally.

Are you in a union or is there a HR department? Speak to them.

Contact ACAS for advice if no union or HR department.

Original poster
Mitara · 21/07/2025 09:21

So i dont want to say exactly what the building is as i think one of my bosses uses mumsnet.

But say it is similiar to a hotel.

Heavy bags of linen need to be brought up to all of the floors, to change the beds. The bags are really heavy and we need a lot of them.

With the lift being broken, we now have to carry up very heavy bags of linen,

up and down four flights of stairs, every second day.

It's way too much

OP posts:
needtostopnamechanging · 21/07/2025 10:35

No if the bags are too heavy you don’t have to carry them up and down

in that case you need to split the bags to smaller quantities that you can carry

if they object to that and the extra time it will therefore take …

ask for the new risk assessment, ask who your health and safety rep is

Original poster
Mitara · 21/07/2025 10:43

needtostopnamechanging · 21/07/2025 10:35

No if the bags are too heavy you don’t have to carry them up and down

in that case you need to split the bags to smaller quantities that you can carry

if they object to that and the extra time it will therefore take …

ask for the new risk assessment, ask who your health and safety rep is

Edited

The thing is, we have split the bags into smaller quantities, but when we split into smaller quantities, it then makes us have to walk up and four flights of stairs ten times.

I did this the other day and i felt like i was going to have a heart attack

As there is so much linen, if you split into smaller quantities, it then makes you walk up and down the stairs ten times.

Its a nightmare. Everyone is complaining.
We have all compainded about health and safety side of it. He says "well i am waiting for a part".

OP posts:
needtostopnamechanging · 21/07/2025 10:47

That’s not a huge amount of stairs to climb unless you have a particular mobility issue

Morgenrot25 · 21/07/2025 10:48

I'd welcome the the opportunity for all that walking, however the carrying is an issue imho. I'd be splitting it into as many small loads as possible, and having the person/people most able to carry doing the carrying. That's not a long term solution though.
If he is genuinely waiting for a part, which does sound a possibility, then everyone needs to muck in for now - including him!

Original poster
Mitara · 21/07/2025 10:50

needtostopnamechanging · 21/07/2025 10:47

That’s not a huge amount of stairs to climb unless you have a particular mobility issue

It is if you have to climb them ten times,

every second day. I would like to see you do it!

Absolutely everyone is complaining about it.

People are seeking legal and workplace advice as they feel they cant do it anymore.

OP posts:
Morgenrot25 · 21/07/2025 10:52

Mitara · 21/07/2025 10:50

It is if you have to climb them ten times,

every second day. I would like to see you do it!

Absolutely everyone is complaining about it.

People are seeking legal and workplace advice as they feel they cant do it anymore.

Show quote history

It really isn't a huge lot of stairs for the average person - if you have mobility issues or are very unfit then it is. It's more the carrying that would be the issue I'd say.

needtostopnamechanging · 21/07/2025 10:52

I would have no problem that’s why I said it wasn’t much - I’m 58 so not a spring chicken and I amnt a fitness freak either

sounds like it would do you some good

Original poster
Mitara · 21/07/2025 10:55

Morgenrot25 · 21/07/2025 10:52

It really isn't a huge lot of stairs for the average person - if you have mobility issues or are very unfit then it is. It's more the carrying that would be the issue I'd say.

Show quote history

It is a lot of stairs for the average person.

If you walk up four flights of stairs, ten times.

That is walking up forty flights of stairs.

Forty flights of stairs is a huge amount.

Some of our cleaners told me that they felt like they were going to pass out the other day, after doing it .

People are getting together and saying that they are going to refuse to do it anymore

OP posts:
Icanttakethisanymore · 21/07/2025 10:56

Not sure you'll consider it consolation but it will get easier as you get fitter!

Lmnop22 · 21/07/2025 10:58

If he’s actually waiting for a part though, not much he can do!

Unless you suspect he’s lying about that?

DeedlessIndeed · 21/07/2025 11:02

OP I disagree with PP. Carrying linen bags up 40 flights of stairs during a shift is not reasonable. That's horrendous.

Even fit and healthy people would find that tiresome.

I can offer no advice, just sympathy, buy I agree regarding asking for an update to the risk assessment. Is it a chain? Do they have a h&s team?

GaspingGekko · 21/07/2025 11:02

Are you suggesting that he is stalling getting it fixed because of the price? Or is he doing what he can to get it fixed, but also complaining about the cost?

Morgenrot25 · 21/07/2025 11:03

Mitara · 21/07/2025 10:55

It is a lot of stairs for the average person.

If you walk up four flights of stairs, ten times.

That is walking up forty flights of stairs.

Forty flights of stairs is a huge amount.

Some of our cleaners told me that they felt like they were going to pass out the other day, after doing it .

People are getting together and saying that they are going to refuse to do it anymore

Edited
Show quote history

You keep saying 'flights' - how many steps actually is that?

okydokethen · 21/07/2025 11:03

That’s a lot of stairs particularly while it’s been so warm.

HonoriaBulstrode · 21/07/2025 11:05

Well, it's not just the stairs, is it? The time taken to do all this extra stair climbing is time taken from doing their regular jobs. What is really needed is extra people to do all the lifting and carrying up and downstairs. A couple of fit and hefty 18yo lads would do. But of course the employer would have to pay for it.

sounds like it would do you some good

What a nasty comment.

MaMisled · 21/07/2025 11:16

That's really unfortunate and hard work, I'm sure. I do know that lift parts often have to be sourced from Europe. I once worked with vulnerable adults who were confined to their respective floors for 4 weeks. It's not unusual.