Safe Practices and Helpful Tips About Elevator Safety

Elevators, escalators and moving walks are the safest form of  transportation. Each day in the U.S. and Canada this equipment moves the  equivalent of double the entire U.S. and Canadian population - over 210  billion passengers each year. Very few accidents happen and most of these  can be avoided."

Elevator Safety Tips

Before getting on the elevator, know your destination and push the down or up button once and make sure to stand aside for exiting passenger(s).

Do not attempt to stop a closing door with anything. Just wait for the next elevator.

Pay close attention when entering and exiting an elevator. Observe the entrance floor and if elevator floor and hall floor are not leveled with each other, step over the gap if not dangerously wide.

When riding on the elevator, stand back from the doors and pay attention to the floor indicators and be prepared to exit at your desired floor.

Should the doors not open when the elevator stops, push the door open button. If the door still does not open, ring the alarm button and/or use the emergency telephone or intercom and ask for assistance.  Wait until qualified personnel can assist you. Never force the doors open or try to exit.  Attempting to force the elevator doors open is very dangerous and can result in injury.

 How to Make your Elevator Trip Safer

Elevators safely transport millions of people every day.  Smart Elevators makes every effort to ensure your safety while riding in elevators maintained  by them. Below is some information to help keep you even safer while riding  elevators.

• Before getting on the elevator, know your destination and push the  down or up button once and make sure to stand aside for exiting  passenger(s).
• Use care when entering and exiting always look down to make sure the elevator is level with the landing floor to avoid tripping. Be aware of the closing elevator doors.
• Do not force any objects and materials into the elevator car. Do not continuously hold or block the elevator doors from closing.
• NEVER try to exit a “stuck” elevator unless you are instructed by an  elevator mechanic. Remain calm and use the in-car emergency devices (telephone or  alarm bell).
• Remember, if you’re stuck, someone is on the way to get you out.
• Never use an elevator if the is a building fire. Use the stairs.     

Elevator Cable Misconception

Each elevator rope is made from several lengths of steel material wound  around one another. With this sturdy structure, one rope can support the  weight of the elevator car and the counterweight on its own. But elevators are  built with multiple ropes (between four and eight, typically). In the unlikely  event that one of the ropes snaps, the rest will hold the elevator up.

 Even if all of the ropes were to break, or the sheave system were to release  them, it is unlikely that an elevator car would fall to the bottom of the shaft.  Roped elevator cars have built-in braking systems, or safeties, that grab  onto the rail when the car moves too fast. (information from howstuffworks.com)

 Elevators incorporate several safety features to prevent the car from crashing  into the bottom of the shaft. Safeties installed on the car can prevent this type  of accident from occurring when the machine brake fails or the wire ropes  suspending the car break. However, the inherent design of the safeties  render them inoperative in the ascending direction.

In the upward direction, the machine brake is required to stop the car when  an emergency condition occurs. Under normal operation, the machine brake serves only as a parking braked to hold the cage at rest. However, when an  emergency condition is detected, modern elevator control system designs  rely on machine brakes as well as a rope gripper system to stop the car.

Safety Tip Guidelines for Unit Owners, Property Managers, and Security Personnel.

Before placing a service call: To reduce the time the elevator is shut down or avoid possibly paying for the cost of a service call, the  following steps may be followed. Authorized personnel such as management, maintenance or security  personnel should be instructed in these procedures and familiar with the elevator safety devices.   Authorized personnel should have access to emergency elevator door key and the keys used to access the  elevator machine room that should be locked at all times.

• Check to see if there is an passenger(s) trapped in the elevator and proceed to contact Smart  Elevators Co. at (630)544-6800.
•  Make sure you have full power in the building. Check for tripped circuit breakers and blown fuses in  the meter room.
• Check the door sills for any debris that may prevent the door(s) from closing or fully opening. Be sure that the door protection devices such as mechanical safety edge, electric photo eyes, or an  infrared light curtain are not obstructed.
• Check the run/stop switch, located in the car station, is in the normal “run” position.
• Verify that all other operating key switches such as independent service, inspection or access are in  the “off” position.
• If the elevator is equipped with fire service, check that the fireman’s warning light, shaped like a  fireman’s hat, is not illuminated or blinking.
• For Hydraulic elevator: if the elevator has not been in use or the temperature has dropped, run the  car to the top floor several times. This will allow the oil to heat up and will ensure better  performance.

Maintenance and Repair Tips:

• Ride the elevator periodically and pay attention to its operation. Ride the elevator to each floor and  check to see if it stops level with the floor. A slight difference could cause someone to trip and fall.
• Vacuum the door track grooves to help prevent debris from jamming the doors.
• When cleaning in the vicinity of the elevators, when using water, use CAUTION not to allow water to come in contact with any elevator equipment.  The areas of concern are the hall push buttons on the  outside or to go under the outer doors of the elevators as this will get on the equipment inside the  elevator shaft and will result in damage to the equipment.  Damage from water to the equipment  can occur immediately or later, which will result in unnecessary costs to the building.
• Make a list of any burned out indicator lights or other minor items and leave it in a location for the technician or fax to Smart Elevators at (630)544-6829 so that these items can be addressed at  our next visit.
• Do not use the elevator machine room for storage.  Keep the elevator machine room closed and locked and allow only authorized personnel to enter.
• Fire extinguishers should be annually  inspected and tagged. 
• Make sure the elevator machine room is kept at the correct temperature.
• Gently push buttons, do not hit, pound or kick elevator call buttons, this will damage the internal  components and can cause the elevator to shut down.
• Do not push or pull the elevator doors open or closed, doing so can damage the equipment. If the elevator seems to be operating in an unsafe manner be sure that nobody uses the elevator and report it to your elevator company immediately.

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