NATIONAL ELEVATOR INDUSTRY, INC. ESCALATOR SAFETY TIPS
The National
Elevator Industry, Inc.
(NEII) is committed to passenger safety and the promotion of safe building
transportation. The organization and its members stress the importance of
proper escalator safety guidelines when riding these machines.
There are stringent codes in place to help
ensure the safety of building transportation products and make certain that
machinery is maintained and inspected according to their respective
jurisdictional codes.
While escalators are among the safest
forms of transportation in the world, unsafe riding practices can result in
accidents. Therefore, it is important to abide by the following safety rules:
When entering escalators:
·
Watch the direction of
the moving step and step on and off with extra care.
·
Take care if you are
wearing bifocals or similar eyewear.
·
Hold children firmly
with one arm or hold child’s free hand.
·
Hold small packages firmly in one
hand, but always leave one hand available to hold the handrail.
·
Grasp the handrail as
you step onto the moving step.
·
Do not go in the
opposite direction of the escalator.
·
Do not take
wheelchairs, electric scooters, strollers, hand carts, luggage carts or similar
items on the escalator.
When riding escalators:
·
Keep loose clothing
clear of steps and sides.
·
Wear closed-toed and
hard-soled shoes, and avoid wearing footwear made of soft-resin or other
rubbery materials.
·
Stand clear of the
sides of the escalator.
·
Face forward and hold handrail for
the entire ride.
·
Reposition your hand
slowly if the handrail moves slightly ahead or behind the steps.
·
Don't rest any items
or parcels on the handrail or lean against the sides.
·
Don’t climb onto or
ride the handrail.
·
Do not let children sit on steps
or stand too close to sides.
·
If children are too small to hold
handrail, or holding the handrail pulls them close to the side of the escalator,
hold their hand and keep them centered on the step.
When exiting escalators:
·
Don't hesitate and
step off promptly.
·
Make sure to step over
the comb fingers; don’t let your feet slide off the end of the escalator.
·
Immediately move clear
of the escalator exit area; don't stop to talk or look around since other
passengers may be behind you.
To participate in an interactive online safety program for
escalators, go to A Safe Ride.
About NEII
NEII, the national trade association of the building transportation industry, was established to promote safe building transportation for new and existing products and technologies, the adoption of current codes by local government agencies, and to encourage responsible legislation and regulatory measures at all levels of government. Regular membership is available to those corporations, firms or companies that, as part of their normal business operations, provide or perform any of the following: manufacturing (including parts or components used by others in the manufacture, repair or maintenance), installation, or the repair and maintenance of elevators, escalators, moving walks and related equipment. Trust membership is available to those corporations, firms, or companies that, as part of their regular business, employ members of the International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) and contribute to the benefit trusts (Trusts) established by agreements between the IUEC and NEII. Individual memberships are available to persons who are not employees of NEII member companies or organizations. NEII promotes safe building transportation and works with various organizations on the formation, adoption and enforcement of the latest building transportation codes and standards.
