The invention relates to an elevator safety arrangement and a method for implementing safety spaces in an elevator shaft. The safety arrangement of the invention comprises a mechanical safety device which can be set to a working position to ensure a sufficient safety space in the elevator shaft and an electric safety system for identifying the operating state of the mechanical safety device. According to the method of the invention, detectors comprised in the electric safety system are read by an electric safety controller and, when a functional deviation is detected, one or more stopping devices are actuated to bring the elevator system into a safe operating state.