Lift and Elevator Codes and Standards in Malaysia

Lifts, escalators and walkalators are 'plant requiring a Certificate of Fitness' regulated by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) under the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 as amended by the OSH (Amendment) Act 2022, and the OSH (Plant Requiring Certificate of Fitness) Regulations 2024, in force 1 June 2024; the Factories and Machinery Act 1967 and its lift regulations were repealed (Act 835). Each lift/escalator model needs DOSH design verification (application by a Competent Person (Company), reviewed by a Qualified Person Lift, supported by certificates from an Authorized Inspecting Body against 'recognized standards'); installation needs DOSH permission, and DOSH-witnessed testing leads to a Certificate of Fitness (s.27D) without which the lift may not operate.

Who regulates lifts

Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH / JKKP), Ministry of Human Resources

Periodic inspection

Certificate of Fitness valid 15 months, renewed after DOSH inspection; owner-appointed competent company must service monthly and carry out a comprehensive inspection at least every three months under a maintenance agreement of at least one year (DOSH DG, Sept 2026).

Installer and maintenance licensing

Yes. Under s.31B OSHA, installation, testing, maintenance and repair of CF plant may only be done by a DOSH-registered Competent Person (Company) with graded competent personnel; DOSH reported 72 companies and 999 individuals registered for lifts (2026).

Laws, codes and standards

Factories and Machinery (Repeal) Act 2022 (Act 835) (2022) — Factories and Machinery (Repeal) Act 2022
Mandatory · Repeals the Factories and Machinery Act 1967 (Act 139) · Parliament of Malaysia
Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (Act 514), as amended by Act A1648 (OSH (Amendment) Act 2022) — Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994
Mandatory · Primary legislation; s.27B (Minister declares CF plant), s.27D (CF required), s.31B (competent persons) · Parliament of Malaysia / DOSH
Factories and Machinery (Electric Passenger and Goods Lift) Regulations 1970 (1970) — Factories and Machinery (Electric Passenger and Goods Lift) Regulations 1970
Superseded · Made under FMA 1967; listed by DOSH under 'repealed regulations' · DOSH
OSH (Plant Requiring Certificate of Fitness) Regulations 2024 (2024) — Occupational Safety and Health (Plant Requiring Certificate of Fitness) Regulations 2024
Mandatory · OSHA s.27B; in force 1 June 2024. Lift defined as lifting machinery with traction, positive or hydraulic drive, excluding rated speed < 0.15 m/s · Ministry of Human Resources / DOSH
MS EN 81-20 (2017) — Safety rules for the construction and installation of lifts - Lifts for the transport of persons and goods - Part 20: Passenger and goods passenger lifts
Voluntary · Not confirmed as legally referenced; DOSH requires 'recognized standards' · Department of Standards Malaysia (JSM) / SIRIM
DOSH Application Guide for Design Verification of Lift, Escalator and Walkalator (2025) — Application Guide for Design Verification of Lift, Escalator and Walkalator
Referenced by law · Administrative guide under the 2024 CF Regulations; non-compliant applications rejected · DOSH

Lift associations and bodies

Malaysian Lift and Escalator Association (MALEA)
Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH / JKKP)
Working Group on Lifts and Escalators (Department of Standards Malaysia)

Last verified 2026-10-16. Standards are copyrighted: we list which one applies and its legal status, not its text.