Elevator Accident Safety Tips

Posted on Premises Liability Blog / Blog / Elevator Injury Tips

Therefore, we have compiled some tips for you to prevent any injuries.

Elevator Safety Tips to Follow

What Should You Do When Entering an Elevator Car?

Here are a few things that you can do while entering an elevator:

• Make sure to stand at a reasonable distance from the elevator to allow exiting passengers to safely disembark the elevator before entering one. Waiting for your turn can also help avoid clogging up the elevator cars or getting stuck between the elevator doors.

• Typically, you’ll find a slight gap in older elevators due to the misleveling, so make sure you watch your step as it can cause you to either trip or get your foot stuck, which can lead to injuries.

• When the elevator stops and people are getting off, make sure you assess the situation before joining them. Oftentimes, an elevator can reach its full capacity, which can lead to breakdowns and unfortunate situations you don’t want to be part of. The closing doors can also be a concerning risk for individuals in an overcrowded elevator. Wait for the next car rather than heading into an overly crowded one.

• When the elevator doors are closing, it is important that you don’t run to catch the elevator, as you can risk your limb getting caught in the closing doors, which can result in injuries.

Things to Consider When Exiting the Elevator

A lot of people cramped in an elevator can put passenger safety at risk during disembarkation if people are not careful. You mustn’t push your way through the people to exit an elevator, as this can lead to elevator-related accidents. Ask the people politely to make way for you to safely disembark, and if you require support, you can hold on to the railings in the elevator or its side.

What Should You Do If the Elevator Stops Between Floors?

The first thing to do when you find yourself in a situation where the elevator stops between floors is to not panic and assess the situation. During an elevator emergency, navigate to the control panel and push the emergency button to ask for help from the operations team.

In movies, when an emergency like this arises, the protagonist climbs through the ceiling and the elevator wall to reach their destination. Remember, these are movies, and in real life, you should consider waiting for the professionals to arrive to assist you.

It may seem that the professionals are taking their time, but it is the tense situation that warrants such thinking. So remain calm at all times, ensure other elevator passengers are calm too and ride through this “waiting game.”

Safety Tips for Building Owners

Building owners are responsible for maintaining their elevators and ensuring all safety measures are in place to avoid any cases of negligence.

Here are some tips that building owners should follow to avoid any elevator-related accidents:

• Always hire a qualified elevator company to carry out regular maintenance and provide elevator repair services.

• Ensure elevator safety signs for freight elevators, elevator shafts, emergency operations, and others.

• Make sure the emergency stairs are open at all times without any obstacles obstructing passage to allow people to use the stairs in case of disruption of electrical services, which can bring an elevator to a halt.

For more detailed tips, make sure to visit the Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation for standard elevator rules. These tips cannot guarantee your safety in the case of an elevator accident. If you received injuries from an elevator accident, contact us at (213) 596-9642 for a free consultation as you may be eligible for compensation. 

Michael Ehline

Michael is a managing partner at the nationwide Ehline Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, APLC. He’s an inactive Marine and became a lawyer on the California State Bar Law Office Study Program, later receiving his J.D. from UWLA School of Law. Michael has won some of the world’s largest motorcycle accident settlements.

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