Elevator safety – Deaths and injuries on elevators

This last week there were 3 significant accidents with elevator personal.

Steel Mills – Burns Harbor, IN – Elevator mechanic killed by getting hit with counterweights

New Jersey – Inspector examining elevator injured falling off pit ladder

Texas – Elevator mechanic struck in head with elevator - injured

We talk about safety in the trades on a regular basis.  We know what we should and should not do when we are completing elevator work or inspecting elevators.  Unfortunately there will always be accidents, but we can prevent some of them from occurring by using our training and experience.

As field techs we cannot get complacent and we cannot take short cuts. As people who work in the office we cannot pacify building owners by signing work at buildings that are unsafe.  It has to start somewhere.  Everyone in the industry has a say in safe work environments.  Below is a picture of a job site where the building owner had two passenger elevators that they needed repairs on.  We passed on the project because of the conditions of the building.  The building owner wasn't interested in barricading the hoist-ways up correctly after we brought it to their attention.

[There was something wrong at this building - one of 3 open hoistways]

[Door to going down 50']

From top to bottom it is everyone’s responsibility to be safe, these events should not be occurring with the frequency they are.  We work hard at being successful in life, providing for our families and enjoying life, we need to remember that can all end in a split second.

If you have worked in the industry long enough you have been apart of a close call.  Learn from close calls and other accidents and do not make your next one your last call.

If you have an questions or would like information from Colley Elevator you can go to www.colleyelevator.com, email Craigz@colleyelevator.com or call 630-766-7230.