Elevators are among the safest modes of transportation, with over 325 million daily riders on some 700,000 elevators in the U.S. Yet incidents involving elevators kill more than 25 people and seriously injure another 10,000 each year, according to data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Although television and movies often depict dangerous elevator failures, reality is quite different. Elevators are supported by multiple steel cables, and each cable alone can support a fully loaded car. So a plummeting elevator car full of screaming riders is more Hollywood fiction than fact.
In early 2020, the ASME A17.1-2019 Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators received a number of revisions. Important changes include: Updates to door requirements in private residence elevators and occupant evacuation elevators. Seismic requirements for elevators and escalators were clarified. Updates were made to emergency communication requirements for an elevator to ensure communication with trapped passengers, including those who are hearing impaired. And requirements were modified for increased door protection on passenger elevators.
Nevertheless, there are several steps and best practices repair workers and riders can follow to help ensure their safety when using or working on an elevator. Check the elevator safety tips and resources below for details.
Elevator Safety Tips for Workers, Employers and Building Owners
Elevator and construction workers are at highest risk for elevator-related injuries. Almost half of elevator-related deaths occur to people working on or near elevators – including those installing, repairing and maintaining elevators or working in or near elevator shafts. The most common incidents are falls into the shaft, workers caught between moving parts or platforms and workers struck by elevator cars or counterweights.
To help prevent elevator-related deaths and injuries, employers and workers should take these steps:
- Ensure workplace protective practices and training are adequate.
- De-energize and lock-out electrical circuits and mechanical equipment when elevators are out of service or under repair
- Establish a permit-required confined-space program for elevator shafts
- Provide adequate fall protection during work in or near elevator shafts
- Develop an adequate inspection and maintenance program
- Use only qualified repair companies or workers for elevator repair and maintenance
- Post appropriate elevator safety signs for emergency operation, freight elevators, counterweights, elevator shafts, inspection tags, etc.
Elevator Safety Tips for Riders
When waiting for elevators:
- Look and listen for the signal announcing your car’s arrival
- Stand clear of the elevator doors and stand aside for exiting passengers
- If the arriving car is full, wait for the next car
- Don’t attempt to maneuver in or stop closing doors, wait for the next car
- In the event of a fire or other situation that could lead to a disruption in electrical services, take the stairs
When boarding elevators:
- Allow passengers exiting the elevator to clear before boarding
- Watch your step – the elevator car may not be perfectly level with the floor
- Stand clear of the doors – keep clothes and carry-ons away from the opening
- Push and hold the DOOR OPEN button if doors need to be held open, or ask someone to push the button for you
- Never try to stop a closing door, wait for the next car
When riding elevators:
- Hold the handrail, if available
- Stand next to the elevator wall, if available
- Pay attention to the floor indications and announcements when provided
- If the doors do not open when the elevator stops, push the DOOR OPEN button
- Stay calm if you find yourself stuck in an elevator. Use the elevator’s alarm button or emergency contact button to get help. Elevator cars are designed to be “safe rooms”, and the safest place is inside the car.
When exiting elevators:
- Exit immediately at your floor. Do not wait for others behind you
- Do not push the people in front of you when exiting
- Watch your step – the elevator car may not be perfectly level with the floor
In case of an elevator emergency:
- If the elevator stops between floors, don’t panic – there is plenty of air in the elevator
- Reassure and calm anyone who is panicked about being stuck in the elevator
- Use the ALARM or HELP button, the telephone or the intercom to call for assistance. Follow the posted instructions for their use.
- Don’t attempt to pry open the doors
- Never climb out of a stalled elevator. Wait for qualified help to arrive
- Emergency lighting will come on in the event of a power failure
Elevator Safety Resources:
- Learn why elevators are safer than you thought at ScienceABC
- ASME A17 Elevator Safety Standards
- OSHA standards for elevators and escalators
- Visit the National Elevator Industry site.
- Download 9 elevator industry best practices from NEII (pdf).
- Browse elevator safety signs at ComplianceSigns.com.
- Check these Escalator Safety Tips, too!
Elevator access control systems grant certain people access to specific floors in a building at predetermined times. Systems can control various numbers of elevators, depending on the control panel that is chosen. This can improve a business’s security and reduce costs.
An identification device can be issued to each person who works in the facility to grant access to specific floors within the building. Elevator access can be integrated with CCTV cameras to see who is attempting to use elevators to access various floors.
Elevator access can be granted or denied based on the user’s classification, the time of day, the elevator the person is attempting to use, and the armed state of a department. The status of a zone can be changed to grant or deny access. Elevator access control systems can be created that are both flexible and secure.
A company’s staff can change frequently. Employees can lose keys or not turn them in when their employment ends. By assigning each person a proximity card or key fob, an individual device can be removed from the system, which eliminates the need to change the locks in each elevator.
Many businesses require a supervisor to be present before other employees are allowed into the building. An elevator access control system can be set up so that only supervisors can disarm elevators and allow other personnel access.
Different departments can operate on different schedules. An access control system can allow access to individual elevators only at specific times.
The general public needs to be kept out of restricted areas. This can be accomplished by automatically locking and unlocking lobby elevators at specific times.
Employing guards to protect a business can be expensive. Using an elevator access control system, intercoms, and cameras can reduce the need for guards and lower costs.
Can you imagine your building elevator not functional? Most people cannot. This is why proper elevator maintenance is a necessity.
Elevator maintenance involves ensuring that no accidents or breakdowns happen on elevators. Elevator maintenance helps avoid major replacements and it prolongs the life of elevators.
Choosing the right company for the maintenance of your building’s elevator will be connected to various benefits.
RELIABILITY AND HIGH QUALITY
The first and most obvious one is reliability. The elevator will be maintained in a proper way, which means that its up time will increase. You can expect quick reaction in the case of a problem.
Quality of maintenance matters, as well. This is why you should choose the right elevator companies. Picking the right contractor is essential for success. Proper maintenance will decrease the need for frequent calls to have your elevator repaired. Even if you have to pay more for a company that provides good customer service, you will be doing it less regularly than in the case of a mediocre elevator maintenance service.
ELEVATOR PASSENGER SAFETY
You will also be enjoying increased safety by selecting the right elevator companies. Let’s face it – the safe operation of an elevator is a very important aspect of maintaining a safe building. Elevator maintenance follows a set of criteria designed to maximize the safety of the people using it. Smooth transportation starts with a safe elevator that is functioning properly.
GETTING THE LATEST ELEVATOR TECHNOLOGY
Just like in the case of any device, an elevator will become outdated as time passes. Technology is changing and so are elevator parts. Look for an innovative elevator maintenance company to advise you on the best available technology for your elevator.
Contracting a quality elevator company will ensure that you will be gaining access to the latest technologies. Old parts will be replaced with innovative ones that increase the efficiency of the elevator and its longevity. An old system can be replaced altogether, giving you and the people living in the building access to the newest and most comfortable elevator ride.
Elevator passengers are expecting convenience and safety. It is your duty to make sure that you are getting access to an elevator company that provides superior customer services. Proper research and taking the time to interview different companies is essential for the selection an elevator company to best fit your needs.