How Safe Are Elevator Guide Rails After New Standards?

On March 30, 2025, an elevator in an office building in Leshan City suddenly broke down. At that time, the elevator was going down from the 21st floor. It first made a buzzing sound and shook abnormally, and then the car vibrated violently, and the car's floor was squeezed and deformed. The five passengers in the car panicked, and the elevator finally stopped on the 13th floor. A few minutes later, the trapped people were successfully rescued. ​

It is reported that the elevator involved is a freight elevator, which has been put into use since 2006 and has been used frequently. After the incident, preliminary inspections found that the counterweight track was bent and there was a deformation deviation of 3.2 mm. After an on-site inspection by professionals, it was initially determined that the elevator failed and stopped due to friction between the car and the counterweight guide rail, and the cause of the accident is still under in-depth investigation. ​

It is worth noting that the new elevator standard TSG T7001-2023 has made comprehensive adjustments to the standards related to guide rails. In terms of material, it is required to have better wear resistance, tensile strength and fatigue strength to ensure long-term stability and safety; in terms of dimensional accuracy, the requirements for guide rail width and thickness are improved to ensure installation accuracy and running stability; after the fixing method is improved, the fixing parts are required to withstand various loads to prevent the displacement of the guide rail; the importance of the lubrication system is emphasized to ensure sufficient lubrication to extend the service life; the safety gap is clarified to prevent interference between the components during operation; regular inspection and maintenance requirements are proposed to ensure that the guide rail is always in good condition. ​

The Leshan elevator accident is closely related to the implementation of the guide rail standard. The adjustment of the new standard reflects the industry's high attention to the safety performance of elevators, aiming to improve the stability of elevator operation and reduce safety accidents caused by guide rail problems. In the face of these adjustments, elevator manufacturers need to increase R&D investment, use high-quality materials, and improve production processes; elevator maintenance units should strictly follow the new inspection and maintenance requirements, strengthen the inspection and maintenance of guide rails, and train maintenance personnel to be familiar with the new standards; regulatory authorities should strengthen supervision and inspection of all links of production, installation, use and maintenance to ensure the effective implementation of the latest standards. Only by working together can the safe operation of elevators be effectively guaranteed, and the public can rest assured when taking the elevator.