Almost everyone has used the lift mirror to check their hair before a meeting. But it is not there just for looks: in many cars it serves a function that a European standard requires. Here I explain, from the trade, what it is for, what the standards say in Europe and in Switzerland, which glass is allowed, at what height, and when you are better off without one.
The short answer: five functions
- Accessibility: a wheelchair user can see what is behind them when reversing out of the car.
- Sense of space: the car looks bigger and less enclosed.
- “Occupied” time: looking at yourself is a distraction, so the wait and the ride feel shorter.
- Safety and awareness: you can see who gets in and who is behind you without turning round.
- Light: the mirror spreads the light and the car looks brighter, but it can also cause glare.
Only the first is explicitly required by a standard. The others are design effects.
Accessibility: the function EN 81-70 requires
The European standard for lift accessibility, EN 81-70:2021+A1:2022, defines five car types. In the smaller ones a wheelchair user cannot turn round and has to reverse out:
- Type 1: 1000 × 1300 mm, 450 kg. Only for existing buildings where a larger car will not fit.
- Type 2: 1100 × 1400 mm, 630 kg. The minimum for new buildings.
- Type 3: 1100 × 2100 mm, 1000 kg. A deep car, for example for stations.
For these three types, clause 5.3.2.3 requires a device that lets passengers see obstacles behind them when moving backwards out of the car. The standard does not say “mirror”; it says “device”. In practice the mirror is the usual solution because it needs no power. Types 4 and 5 are large enough to turn a wheelchair inside, so the standard does not ask them for this device.
Annex D of the same standard is informative, meaning a recommendation rather than a requirement. It recommends matt walls to avoid reflections, optical confusion and glare. If a wall is substantially mirrored, the glass should be decorated or the lower edge of the mirror should be at least 300 mm above the floor.
Switzerland and the European Union
In the EU, EN 81-70 is a standard harmonised under the Lifts Directive 2014/33/EU. In Switzerland it applies as SN EN 81-70, and the Lifts Ordinance (AufzV, SR 930.112) governs the safety of new installations.
For barrier-free construction in Switzerland, the reference is the standard SIA 500 “Hindernisfreie Bauten” (barrier-free buildings). For the technical requirements of the lift it refers to SN EN 81-70. In clause 4.1.1 it also requires that glare, reflections and shine do not impair orientation.
The Swiss Centre for Barrier-free Architecture spells out the mirror in its information sheet Merkblatt 020 (2017). It places it on the wall opposite the door, because that makes reversing out in a wheelchair easier, and for practical reasons recommends a lower edge 0.70 m above the floor. If you work in Switzerland, take the 0.70 m as your reference and confirm it with the project.
Sense of space and claustrophobia
A mirror on the rear wall visually doubles the depth of the car. That is why it is said to reduce the feeling of confinement and help people with claustrophobia.
However, I found no controlled study that measures the effect of a car mirror on anxiety or claustrophobia. Treat it as a plausible effect, not a proven fact. What EN 81-70 does acknowledge, in the same Annex D, is that the psychological factor matters: transparent walls may reduce panic among trapped passengers, although they may increase fear of heights.
The story about waiting complaints: what the sources say
You have probably heard that “mirrors were put in lifts because people complained they were slow”. The story has a real basis, but the popular version changes it.
The most cited source is David Maister’s article “The Psychology of Waiting Lines” (1985), which retells a case from Sasser, Olsen and Wyckoff (1979). A hotel group was receiving complaints about waiting for its lifts. It was suggested that mirrors be installed where guests waited for the lift, that is, in the lobby and not inside the car. Complaints dropped sharply, even though the actual wait was unchanged. Maister uses it to show that occupied time feels shorter than empty time.
Be careful: it is a case told in a management book, not an experiment with measurements, and it is about mirrors on the landing. The claim that mirrors inside cars began for this reason is an anecdote with no reliable source.
Safety, visibility and light
The mirror lets you see who is getting in and who is behind you without turning round. Social psychology also knows a well-established effect: seeing your own reflection increases self-awareness. In a 1979 field study, Beaman and colleagues found that a mirror placed behind a bowl of sweets reduced how often children took more than they were allowed. That this reduces vandalism in a lift is plausible, but nobody has measured it.
The same goes for light. EN 81-20 requires at least 100 lux of car lighting and emergency lighting of 5 lux for one hour. The mirror spreads that light and the car looks brighter. But with direct spotlights it can cause glare or reflections on the control panel and indicators, which is exactly what SIA 500 wants to avoid. Where surfaces are reflective, the Swiss centre recommends large diffusers with good light distribution.
Materials: which glass is allowed
Under EN 81-20:2014, car walls made wholly or partly of glass must be laminated glass (clause 5.4.3.2.3). Mirrors and glass claddings fitted onto a car wall are the exception: they do not have to be laminated, but they must break safely according to Annex C of the pendulum test standard EN 12600, type B (breaks like laminated glass, the pieces stay bonded) or type C (breaks like toughened glass, into small fragments). That is how the glass-industry information sheet listed in the sources summarises it. I could not confirm the exact clause number of this exception in the text of the standard [VERIFICAR].
In practice, people use laminated mirror, toughened mirror or mirror with a safety film on the back, always certified. An ordinary decorative mirror with no test is not good enough: if it breaks, it leaves sharp edges inside the car.
Remember two more car requirements too. If a glass wall has its lower edge less than 1.10 m above the floor, it needs a handrail between 0.90 and 1.10 m, fixed independently of the glass. And wall materials must meet reaction-to-fire class C-s2,d1 under EN 13501-1.
Alternatives without glass:
- Acrylic mirror (PMMA): light and hard to break, but it scratches easily and can distort the image. Check the manufacturer’s data sheet that it meets the fire class required for the wall [VERIFICAR for each product].
- Mirror-polished stainless steel: does not break and stands up to vandalism. The image is less sharp and fingerprints show.
For lifts exposed to vandalism there is the standard EN 81-71. According to a trade article, in its category 2 the mirror must be laminated glass and fixed flush with the wall, without protruding [VERIFICAR in the standard].
Height, position and fixing
- Position: on the wall opposite the door, so that the door and landing can be seen from the wheelchair. In cars with two opposite entrances there is no rear wall; another solution has to be worked out with the designer.
- Lower edge: at least 300 mm under Annex D of EN 81-70; 0.70 m as the Swiss recommendation.
- Size: seated, you should see the whole door opening.
- Handrail: if it runs in front of the mirror, it protects it from knocks by trolleys and footrests.
- Fixing: no protruding edges, using the system the mirror manufacturer specifies, and so that the glass cannot slip out of its fixings.
Cleaning and maintenance
- Clean with a microfibre cloth and a mild glass cleaner. No abrasive products.
- Do not spray onto the control panel or let liquid run into the mirror’s edges: over time it attacks the silvering and black marks appear along the edges.
- For acrylic, use only water and mild soap. Alcohol and solvents can crack it.
- For stainless steel, always wipe along the grain.
- At every maintenance visit, check for cracks, loose fixings, damaged edges and deteriorated silvering. A broken mirror with sharp edges is a hazard: take the car out of service until it is replaced.
When a mirror is NOT a good idea
- Areas with heavy vandalism: stainless steel or a robust wall is better.
- Goods lifts, hospital bed lifts or construction lifts: knocks from trolleys and beds break it. If you fit one, protect it or use steel.
- Buildings for people with dementia: the UK’s NHS warns that reflections can be troubling and advises covering or removing mirrors that cause distress.
- Several mirrored walls: endless reflections disorient people and make the door harder to find, especially for people with low vision.
Frequently asked questions
Is a mirror mandatory in a lift?
EN 81-70 requires a rear-view device in type 1, 2 and 3 cars, and the mirror is the usual solution. Whether the lift has to be accessible depends on the rules for the building; in Switzerland, on SIA 500 and cantonal law. This is general guidance, not legal advice.
Can a camera replace the mirror?
The standard says “device”, not mirror. Whether a camera with a screen qualifies is for the body inspecting the installation to judge [VERIFICAR]. The mirror has the advantage of needing no power.
Will any mirror do?
No. It must break safely (EN 12600, type B or C) or be acrylic or steel that meets the wall’s fire class.
Does the mirror make the car look bigger?
Visually yes, because it doubles the depth. That it reduces claustrophobia is plausible, but I found no study that measures it.
For technicians: more from real practice
If you work on lifts yourself or want to get into the trade: in the Academia Técnico Pro and in my manuals for lift technicians I share what I’ve learned on site. Independent of any manufacturer, step by step.
If this article helped you, I’d be grateful for your support.
Uriepero Ramón
Sources
- European Lift Association (ELA) / LEIA, “Information Note EN 81-70:2021+A1:2022” (QTC-N2424), 2024. Summarises clause 5.3.2.3, the car types and Annex D. www.leia.co.uk
- CEN, EN 81-70:2021+A1:2022, Accessibility to lifts for persons including persons with disability (catalogue entry). standards.iteh.ai
- CEN, EN 81-20:2014, Safety rules for the construction and installation of lifts (clause 5.4.3.2.3, glass in car walls), summarised in the technical information sheet “Verglasungen für Aufzugsanlagen”, Flachglas MarkenKreis, January 2020. flachglas-markenkreis.de
- NBS, “New standards for lifts (EN 81-20 and EN 81-50)”: 100 lux car lighting and 5 lux emergency lighting for 1 hour. www.thenbs.com
- Swiss Centre for Barrier-free Architecture (Fachstelle Hindernisfreie Architektur), Merkblatt 020 “Aufzugsanlagen”, 2017: mirror position and lower edge at 0.70 m. hindernisfreie-architektur.ch
- Fachstelle Hindernisfreie Architektur, “Aufzüge in öffentlich zugänglichen Bauten”: SIA 500, clause 4.1.1, on reflections and glare. hindernisfreie-architektur.ch
- Maister, D. H. (1985). “The Psychology of Waiting Lines”. In Czepiel, Solomon and Surprenant (eds.), The Service Encounter. Lexington Books. Cites the hotel case reported by Sasser, Olsen and Wyckoff (1979), Management of Service Operations. www.columbia.edu
- Beaman, A. L., Klentz, B., Diener, E. and Svanum, S. (1979). “Self-awareness and transgression in children: Two field studies”. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37(10), 1835–1846. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- NHS (UK), “How to make your home dementia friendly”: reflections can be troubling; check, cover or remove mirrors that cause distress. www.nhs.uk