Elevators Deadly?
A client recently shared a frightening dream with us where she was propelled to the elevator ceiling after the lift began descending rapidly upon reaching the 6th floor. Fortunately, it was just a nightmare, but it raises an important question: Is Elevator Deadly? Can you survive an elevator crash, and if so, how?
Can elevators kill you?
I am telling you a true story; one of our family friends shared it, which I found most appealing.
On a bad day, I got stuck in an elevator with my dog. It started acting up as we approached the third floor, where it abruptly stopped. I had my mobile phone with me, so I tried to watch a video for some advice, but unfortunately, that wouldn’t load. I even scrolled through the comment section looking for a solution, which was somewhat amusing in hindsight. After about 30 minutes, the rescue team managed to open the doors. They accessed some controls on top of the elevator, which I hadn’t known about before. Fortunately, the elevator was only slightly below the level of the actual floor, making our exit safer. It’s important not to panic in these situations. At the time, I was even considering using our clothes as a makeshift cushion in case of a free fall, thinking it might mitigate some potential impact.
Elevator Safety Mechanisms:
Most elevators are equipped with brakes designed to prevent or significantly slow down any uncontrolled descents. Elevator crashes or free falls are extremely rare due to these safety features.
Types of Elevators:
- Hydraulic Elevators: Commonly used in buildings up to six floors. These elevators are relatively safe because they operate with a hydraulic cylinder. Even if there is a slip, the hydraulic pressure helps slow the descent. Additionally, there are brakes along the tracks that automatically engage if the elevator descends too quickly.
- Traction Elevators (Pulley Systems): These are used in buildings over six floors and involve a system of weights and pulleys. The likelihood of these cables snapping is very low, and they are equipped with brakes on the rails for extra safety.
Surviving an Elevator Fall
While some suggest jumping just before impact, it is nearly impossible to time this correctly. A more effective strategy is to lie flat on the floor. This position helps distribute the impact force across your body rather than concentrating it on any single part.
Elevator Safety Statistics and Additional Features:
Statistically, elevators are very safe as long as passengers remain inside the car and the system functions as intended. Most elevator-related injuries and fatalities occur among construction or maintenance workers, or from accidents involving shaft falls or entanglement in the doors.
Typically, the answer is no for a geared or gearless motor-type elevator. Traction elevators are particularly safe due to the use of counterweights and multiple redundant cables that prevent them from plummeting down the shaft. Emergency brakes are designed to activate and halt an elevator’s descent, even if it happens abruptly. In addition, large buffers are usually constructed in case an elevator does, in fact, reach the bottom of the shaft; this will slow down falls and lessen the impact on passengers. Consequently, such accidents are exceedingly rare and seldom result in injuries.
Safety elements of traction drive elevators are segregated below:
- A speed-sensing governor that activates brakes if the elevator descends too swiftly.
- There are safety switches along the shaft that detect the elevator’s position and control its speed accordingly.
- A traction elevator’s steel cables may each hold the car on its own, giving the safety system an extra layer of redundancy.
Hydraulic elevators, which use a piston mechanism similar to those in auto shops, generally lack these advanced safety features. Although less prone to failure, any failure in a hydraulic system can be severe due to the lack of backup systems. However, these elevators are usually not built higher than six stories, limiting the potential fall to between 60 and 90 feet.
Grasping the different types of elevators and their safety mechanisms is essential for implementing preventive measures. Although elevator accidents are uncommon, knowing the features and safety protocols of the elevator in your building can offer peace of mind and increase safety.
However In the United States and other countries, there are numerous instances of elevator mishaps. It usually affects youngsters and construction workers. According to an OSHA report, between January 2020 and September 2023, 41 workers lost their lives and 21 others were wounded while maintaining or repairing elevators. However, because of serious safety issues, one of the safety commissions has suspended over 100,000 residential elevators in the last few years. These changes were made because there were accidents where kids got trapped between the elevator doors, sometimes leading to serious injuries.Therefore, in order to prevent such problems, we need to understand the primary reasons for elevator accidents.
Know about the types of elevator accidents:
While elevator incidents might seem infrequent, they do occur and can result in serious injuries. Elevators, often overlooked, are potent devices that pose risks not only to their passengers but also to those working on or around them.
Elevator malfunctions often stem from inadequate maintenance and service. Due to inadequate maintenance and inspection, elevators that abruptly collapse or halt at levels above or below the designated floor account for the majority of accidents.
Many elevator accidents are avoidable and occur under circumstances such as insufficient barriers to prevent shaft falls, lack of fall protection, or when elevators remain in operation during repairs. In such instances, property owners and managers may be held responsible for any resultant injuries, damages, and losses incurred by plaintiffs.
Causes Being Elevators Deadly
Elevator failures can arise from various issues, given the complexity of their components, which require consistent inspections and maintenance. Commonly, accidents are linked to the following:
- Sudden drops or descents.
- Mislabeling at floor stops.
- Excessive speed
- Sliding doors malfunction.
- Absence of barriers around elevator shafts.
- Elevators are running while marked out of service.
- Inappropriate installation.
- Flawed elevator design.
- Inadequate maintenance and inspection routines.
- Insufficient training for on-site personnel.
Conclusion: These accidents result from negligence on the part of the building owner or those tasked with elevator maintenance. So, to avoid these hazards, keep updating your elevator through regular maintenance. Ask to take proper precautions while maintenance personnel are working. Provide your kids with the appropriate instructions on how to operate an elevator. Also, you can see we have another post for children’s safety while using elevators.
To read the book about elevator and escalator safety, click here.
