A safety brake actuation mechanism for a hoisted structure comprising: a housing operatively coupled to the hoisted structure; a first brake member coupled to the housing and having a brake surface for frictionally engaging a first surface of a guide rail , the first brake member moveable between a braking position and a non-braking position; a retaining assembly moveable between a first position and a second position and engageable with the first brake member , the retaining assembly retaining the first brake member in the non-braking position in the first position and permitting the first brake member to move to the braking position in the second position; and an electric actuator operatively coupled to the retaining assembly and biasing the retaining assembly to the first position in a powered state of the electric actuator , the retaining assembly movable to the second position in a non-powered state of the electric actuator ; the safety brake actuation mechanism further comprising a second brake member coupled to the housing and having a brake surface for frictionally engaging a second surface of the guide rail , the second surface an opposing surface relative to the first surface, the second brake member retained by the retaining assembly and moveable between the braking position and the non-braking position; characterized in that the first brake member and the second brake member are angled at less than 90 degrees relative to a longitudinal axis of the guide rail ; and the first brake member and the second brake member are oriented at a non-parallel angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the guide rail . a housing operatively coupled to the hoisted structure; a first brake member coupled to the housing and having a brake surface for frictionally engaging a first surface of a guide rail , the first brake member moveable between a braking position and a non-braking position; a retaining assembly moveable between a first position and a second position and engageable with the first brake member , the retaining assembly retaining the first brake member in the non-braking position in the first position and permitting the first brake member to move to the braking position in the second position; and an electric actuator operatively coupled to the retaining assembly and biasing the retaining assembly to the first position in a powered state of the electric actuator , the retaining assembly movable to the second position in a non-powered state of the electric actuator ; the safety brake actuation mechanism further comprising a second brake member coupled to the housing and having a brake surface for frictionally engaging a second surface of the guide rail , the second surface an opposing surface relative to the first surface, the second brake member retained by the retaining assembly and moveable between the braking position and the non-braking position; characterized in that the first brake member and the second brake member are angled at less than 90 degrees relative to a longitudinal axis of the guide rail ; and the first brake member and the second brake member are oriented at a non-parallel angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the guide rail . <EOS>