- Статьи
- Society
- Stuck between stages: the number of violations in elevator maintenance has quadrupled in Russia
Stuck between stages: the number of violations in elevator maintenance has quadrupled in Russia
The number of violations during elevator maintenance has increased fourfold over the year, Rostechnadzor told Izvestia. In 2024, 5.6 thousand cases were recorded, and a year earlier - only 1.5 thousand. Among the most frequent violations are non—compliance with inspection deadlines and unqualified repairmen. In addition, elevator owners often do not prohibit their use in case of a security threat. At the same time, 20% of lifting mechanisms in the country have already reached the end of their service life. If the situation remains unchanged, the number of accidents will increase, experts say.
What violations were found
A week ago, Izvestia wrotethat flaws have been identified in the design of high—speed lifts, both from Russian and foreign manufacturers, which under certain conditions lead to their fall. When the power goes out, they lose control and can cause injury and death to passengers.
Now, Rostechnadzor has informed the editorial board that the number of elevator maintenance violations in Russia has increased fourfold in 2024. If in 2023 the territorial authorities of the department revealed 1.5 thousand violations of mandatory requirements, then in 2024 - already 5.6 thousand 256 violations have been recorded so far in the first two months of 2025.
— Among the main ones were, for example, the lack of periodic technical inspection, non—compliance with the deadlines for its implementation, and insufficient qualifications of employees, - Alexander Zhemoidikov, head of the lifting facilities Supervision Department of the Rostechnadzor State Construction Supervision Department, told Izvestia.
In addition, maintenance and repair manuals are not followed, and remedial measures are not being implemented. And the owners do not suspend the use of broken elevators, despite the threat of harm to the life and health of citizens.
According to Rostechnadzor, five accidents occurred in 2022 (those where harm was caused to victims were taken into account), seven in 2023, and four in 2024. In three years, 26 people were injured in them, six died. No such elevator incidents have been reported so far in 2025.
Currently, about 590 thousand lifting mechanisms are registered, most of them are Russian—made, 26% are foreign, including those made in Belarus.
— In 2024, the territorial bodies of Rostechnadzor and the central office received 4020 appeals from citizens complaining about the improper operation of elevators, the vast majority of which concerned elevators of domestic production, emphasized Alexander Zhemoidikov.
According to the Rostechnadzor report on the results of 2024, of all registered elevators, almost 121.4 thousand have completed their assigned service life, that is, 20.1%.
Ulyanovsk (54.5%), Yaroslavl (49.7%), Murmansk (48.1%), Kostroma (46%), Saratov (41.6%), Smolenskaya (40.5%), Kurgan (39.5%), Samara (39.2%), Tula (36.7%), Novgorod (35.3%) regions.
The least problems turned out to be in Nizhny Novgorod (1.6%) and Sakhalin (0.95%) oblasts, Nenets Autonomous Okrug (1.2%), Yakutia (0.2%), Altai (0%), Chechnya (0%) and Chukotka (0%, there are no elevators in this region).
How elevator accidents happen
At the end of 2024, by the decision of the Eurasian Economic Commission, the period of use of elevators that have completed their assigned service life was extended for five years (until February 15, 2030), Rostechnadzor recalled.
— This does not mean that the operation of elevators in poor condition will continue," the ministry stressed. — There is a procedure for mandatory inspection of elevators that have completed their assigned service life, which is estimated at 25 years from the date of commissioning.
Poor—quality maintenance — overdue inspections, incompetent repairs and lack of measures to prevent exploitation in the event of a threat - increases the risk of accidents and injuries, said Ekaterina Kosareva, Managing partner of the analytical agency VMT Consult.
— This not only endangers people's lives, but can also lead to serious material losses and high costs for dealing with the consequences of incidents," she said.
In mid-February 2025, a girl was injured when an elevator fell in the east of Moscow, an inspection is underway, the press service of the capital's office of the Investigative Committee reported. And in January 2025, residents of one of the capital's new buildings complained about frequently broken elevators. The problem is that only one of the three is working, and there are queues at the entrances.
Many residents of this building are afraid that the elevator may break down at the wrong moment — when an ambulance arrives or there is a fire.
— We are simply cut off from civilization, we cannot call a doctor. In case of a fire, God forbid, we're all afraid," said Natalia Khrisanova, a resident of the house in Moscow.
One of the reasons for what is happening in new buildings is poor—quality elevator installation or poor maintenance, Yuri Garanin, an elevator operator in the capital, told Izvestia.
— Modern elevators are complex equipment. Basically, everything can fail: the relay-contactor part, the electronics, because the computer controls the elevator," he explained.
At the end of December 2024, the lift on the platform at the MCD-4 station in Moscow failed, and a criminal case was opened, according to the Telegram channel of the TFR transport department.
The fall of an elevator on a platform at the MCD-4 station in Moscow, December 27, 2024
"A criminal case has been opened into the injury of people when a lifting platform fell on the grounds of a crime under Part 1 of Article 238 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (provision of services that do not meet safety requirements)," the department said.
And on December 8, law enforcement officers organized a check after the elevator wall fell on a woman and an eight-year-old child in one of the entrances of an apartment building in Chelyabinsk, the Investigative Committee clarified.
A few days earlier, an incident occurred in a residential apartment building in Sevastopol — an elevator with people fell there.One of the residents of the house told Izvestia that a woman suffered head and spinal injuries as a result of the elevator fall.
— Before that a child was almost pinched in the elevator, she noted. — The elevator breaks down endlessly. Recently, I spent 2.5 hours in a stuck building with my husband.
Why do elevators fall
Due to the complexity of logistics chains, waiting times for both elevators and their components have increased. At the same time, the domestic industry is able to cover the needs and produce 55-60 thousand elevators annually, Alexey Zakharov, First vice President of the National Elevator Union (NLS), told Izvestia.
However, according to the expert, the financing of the Capital Repair Fund itself is currently insufficient. If in In Moscow and the region, tariffs for contributions are set to the required extent, and in St. Petersburg additional financing is being provided from the city budget, in many regions of the country, the tariff level does not allow accumulating the necessary amount of funds, the expert noted.
— There are many companies in this market segment that compensate for the lack of qualified staff with a low price for their services," he said. — It is expected that for some elevator owners or those responsible for their operation and maintenance, such companies become preferable to bona fide, but also more expensive competitors.
Savings on qualified personnel, on components, on the regularity and timeliness of maintenance eventually lead to tragedies, the expert added.
— There have even been cases when the management company, instead of stopping the elevator and fully repairing it, turns off one or more security systems and starts the elevator for further operation, — he said. — Such a mechanism can no longer ensure the safety of its passengers. For example, an elevator can travel with the doors open. The system that previously did not allow this is disabled.
From a legal point of view, systematic violations create serious problems, Ekaterina Kosareva noted.
— Already a significant proportion of elevators whose service life has expired increases the likelihood of accidents, which may negatively affect public confidence in elevator operation and maintenance systems in general, she said.
Expert of the Popular Front project. Analytics" Pavel Sklyanchuk believes that in 2024, more violations were detected due to increased inspections.
— The situation in the elevator sector is difficult, but not critical," the expert noted. — Although the nature of the violations indicates that it is possible to increase the level of discipline of management companies and control over specialized organizations that are involved in elevator maintenance. If the deadlines for the inspection of equipment are simply violated, it means that this is such a careless attitude.
Total control and stopping the use of elevators, to which Rostechnadzor has the right, may cause dissatisfaction among citizens, Pavel Sklyanchuk believes.
— People will take to the streets and demand the resumption of their work, he said. — It seems to us that the elevator is such a natural means of transportation until it breaks down. Only then do you begin to understand how important it is to ensure a comfortable stay in apartment buildings. And there are risks associated with accidents.
According to Ekaterina Kosareva, if nothing changes, we can expect an increase in the number of accidents and financial losses, which will negatively affect the safety and trust of society.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
