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Material Lifts Are Not Freight Elevators One of the most common (and expensive) mistakes we see in the field is a consultant or spec writer applying freight elevator requirements to a material lift project . It sounds harmless—until it adds thousands of dollars in unnecessary equipment, delays permits, or causes confusion during procurement. This article breaks down how to correctly spec a material lift without turning it into something it’s not. What Is a Material Lift? Material lifts are CSA-compliant vertical conveyors designed to move goods— not people —between floors. They’re a simpler, more economical alternative to freight elevators, with a shorter list of code requirements and more flexibility in design. Max travel: 25 feet No passenger transport allowed Hold-to-run (contact pressure) controls Can be built to almost any platform size or capacity No fire-rated doors, alarm bells, or phones required Common Spec Mistakes (That Inflate Your Budget) We frequently see consultants or engineers include: Emergency phones Firefighter's recall systems Automatic operation controls Fire-rated hoistway doors or interlocks CSA B44 elevator requirements, only material lift requirments. None of these are required on a material lift. Including them adds unnecessary cost, lead time, and complexity to what should be a straightforward install. What You Actually Need to Spec Here’s what matters when planning a material lift: Platform size (based on product or pallet dimensions) Capacity (weight of goods, packaging, pallet, cart) Travel height (floor-to-floor, up to 25 ft) Loading type (manual, cart, pallet jack) Environment (indoor, outdoor, washdown, temperature control) Shaft or structure type (built-in vs. freestanding) Need a cheat sheet? Download the Material Lift Spec Guide. Spec Smarter. Save Thousands. Here’s how Atlantic Lifts helps clients avoid overdesigning their lift: We review plans for elevator overreach We remove unnecessary components from quotes We guide architects and GCs on what’s really required We deliver CSA-compliant, fit-for-purpose systems that work Book a 15-minute planning call to avoid the usual headaches. Next Step: Download the Material Lift Spec Guide Get the quick checklist, platform planning tips, and CSA-compliant layout guide—all in one document.