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Emergency Lift Phone Compliance

Last updated on Apr 07, 2026

Emergency Lift Phone Compliance — What Building and Strata Managers Need to Know

Applies to: Strata Managers, Building Managers, Owners Corporations

Overview

Emergency lift phones are a critical life-safety component in any building with a passenger lift. Australian law and building standards require these phones to be installed, maintained, and regularly tested. This article explains the compliance framework under AS 1735, who holds responsibility for each element, and the role Pickle plays as the line and network service provider.

What Is AS 1735?

AS 1735 is the Australian Standard that governs lifts, escalators, and moving walks. It mandates that passenger lifts be equipped with a functioning emergency communication device — typically a phone or intercom — that can connect occupants to a monitoring service or emergency responder.

Key obligations:

  • Every passenger lift must have a working emergency communication device in the car

  • The device must be capable of making a call to a designated monitoring centre or emergency contact

  • The communication system must be operational at all times the lift is in service

  • Compliance is typically verified during annual lift inspections

The Owners Corporation or Building Manager holds responsibility for ensuring the lift and its emergency communication system meet AS 1735 at all times.

Who Is Responsible for What

Owners Corporation / Building Manager is responsible for:

  • Ensuring the emergency phone device is correctly installed in the lift car

  • Maintaining the device in working order

  • All internal wiring between the device and the connection point

  • Regular testing and documentation

  • Engaging a licensed lift technician or cabler for device/wiring repairs

  • Ensuring the line or SIM service is not cancelled while the lift is in service

  • Meeting all obligations under AS 1735 and applicable WHS legislation

Pickle is responsible for:

  • Providing and maintaining an active phone line or SIM service up to the Network Boundary Point (NBP)

  • Ensuring the service is operational and reachable

  • Responding to reported line or network faults as high priority

  • Providing written confirmation of any service activation, change, or deactivation

Pickle does not install, inspect, test, or maintain emergency phone handsets or internal building wiring unless a separate managed services agreement explicitly covers those elements.

Testing Obligations — Building Side

Recommended frequency: Monthly testing as a minimum standard

Documentation requirements:

  • Record the date, time, outcome, and name of the person who conducted each test

  • Retain records and make them available to lift inspectors on request

  • Do not delete or overwrite failed test records — document the fault, steps taken, resolution, and date the system was confirmed working again

When a test fails:

  • A lift with a non-functioning emergency phone should be taken out of service immediately

  • Determine whether the fault is on the line/network side or the device/wiring side before lodging a fault report

  • Rectify and retest before returning the lift to service

Reporting a Fault

Line or network fault — contact Pickle:

  • No dial tone or network signal at the connection point

  • Calls fail to connect to any number

  • SIM shows no network registration

  • Fault appeared following a network change or planned maintenance

Contact Pickle's support team and clearly identify the service as an emergency lift phone. Pickle treats these as urgent, high-priority faults.

Device or wiring fault — contact your lift technician or cabler:

  • Dial tone or signal confirmed present but device does not function

  • Handset is physically damaged or unresponsive

  • Fault followed recent works inside the lift car

  • Internal cabling is visibly damaged or disturbed

Critical — Emergency Lines Must Not Be Cancelled Without Written Authorisation

Pickle will not deactivate or cancel an emergency lift phone line or SIM service unless written termination instructions are received from an authorised contact.

This applies in all circumstances, including:

  • Building sales or change of ownership

  • Strata management transfers

  • Technology upgrades (e.g. migrating from copper to SIM-based)

  • Lift refurbishments or replacements

  • Account consolidations or migration to a new provider

If a line needs to be replaced or upgraded, the replacement service must be confirmed active and tested before the existing service is deactivated. Written deactivation instructions must then be provided by an authorised contact.

Verbal instructions, informal requests, or changes made as part of broader account changes will not be accepted as authorisation to cancel an emergency lift phone service.

SIM-Based Emergency Phones

Some emergency phones operate on a mobile SIM rather than a fixed line. The same rules apply:

  • Pickle manages SIM provisioning, network access, and billing

  • The building manages the physical device, installation, and testing

  • Written termination notice is required — same as fixed line

  • Test with the same frequency and documentation standards

  • When transitioning from fixed line to SIM-based, both services should overlap during changeover to ensure no gap in compliance

Key Takeaways

  • AS 1735 requires every passenger lift to have a working emergency communication device at all times

  • The OC or Building Manager is responsible for the device, wiring, testing, and overall compliance

  • Pickle is responsible for the line or SIM service up to the NBP — not the device or wiring

  • Emergency phones should be tested monthly and all tests documented

  • A failed test requires immediate action — identify whether it is a line fault (contact Pickle) or device fault (contact lift technician)

  • Emergency phone lines will never be cancelled by Pickle without written authorisation — no exceptions

  • SIM-based emergency phones follow the same rules as fixed line services

Pickle

Office 12, 7-9 Churchill Ave, Strathfield NSW 2135

When reporting an emergency lift phone fault, always identify it as an emergency lift phone at the time of contact so it can be prioritised appropriately.

This article is provided for general guidance. Building Managers and Owners Corporations should seek independent advice regarding their specific compliance obligations under AS 1735 and applicable state-based safety legislation.