The Employers & Industrialists Federation (OEB) informs you about the results of a European campaign for the verification of the conformity and safety of elevator dampers, which was carried out in the framework of the Joint Actions for Product Compliance (JACOP 2025).
Dampers are critical safety components, which are placed at the bottom of elevator shafts and are intended to absorb or dissipate energy in the event that the car or counterweight exceeds the normal stopping point.
The campaign examined 40 dampers collected by the relevant market surveillance authorities in six countries, including Cyprus. The audits covered hydraulic dampers and polyurethane dampers.
The results showed that:
- all 7 hydraulic dampers examined met the relevant requirements,
- out of 33 polyurethane dampers, 28, 85%, did not comply with EU requirements;
- The main problems concerned insufficient deceleration of the elevator in relation to the limits set by the relevant safety standard.
The competent Market Surveillance Authorities have already contacted the affected economic operators to assess and take corrective measures. Among other things, sales bans were imposed on five polyurethane dampers, while economic operators were asked to provide additional supporting documents.
As part of the campaign recommendations, manufacturers, importers and other economic operators are invited to ensure strict production controls, consistency between batches, repeat tests when raw materials or the production process change, as well as complete and up-to-date technical documentation.
Particular importance is also attached to having clear instructions for installation, maintenance, handling, and storage, as these factors can impact product performance and safety.
