SAFE STEPS: A GUIDE TO BUILDING
TRANSPORTATION SAFETY
About 210 billion times a year, people in the U.S. and Canada ride an estimated 700,000 elevators and 33,000 escalators that move 325 million
elevator passengers and 245 million escalator passengers daily. Excluding
automobiles, that is more than the total of riders of all other forms of
transportation combined.
Escalators and moving walks safely transport millions of people
everyday in the U.S. Compared to the number of daily passenger rides, elevator and escalator injuries are so
rare that we take safety for granted. However, escalators are complex machines
and occasionally injuries do occur, usually as a result of unsafe riding
practices.
According to industry experts, elevators and escalators are the
safest form of transportation in the world. Many elevator and escalator
accidents can be prevented simply by being aware of your surroundings and by
following simple safety rules.
Elevators
To avoid accidents or injuries, follow these safety tips whenever
using elevators:
- Be aware of health conditions that could
contribute to falls or accidents. Be extra careful if you wear bifocals or
prescription glasses, have an illness or take medicines that affect your
eyesight, mobility or balance, or use a cane, walker, scooter or
wheelchair.
- Always stand clear of the elevator doors and
stand aside for exiting passengers. Hold children and pets firmly.
- If the arriving elevator is full, wait for the
next car.
- In the event of a fire or other situation that
could lead to a disruption in electrical service, take the stairs.
Boarding and Riding an Elevator:
- Watch your step ― the elevator car may not
be perfectly level with the floor.
- Stand clear of the doors ― keep clothes and
carry-ons away from the opening.
- Push and hold the DOOR OPEN button if doors need
to be held open, or ask someone to push the button for you.
- Never try to stop a closing door with your hands
or feet. Instead, wait for the next elevator.
- Once on board, quickly press the button for your
floor and move to the back of the car to make room for other passengers.
- Pay attention to the floor indicator signals.
- If the doors do not open when the elevator stops,
push the DOOR OPEN button.
Exiting an Elevator:
- Exit immediately at your floor. Do not wait for
others behind you.
- Watch your step ― the elevator car may not
be perfectly level with the floor.
In the Event of an Emergency:
- All elevators have many safety devices, including
brakes, that will stop the car if it is moving too fast.
- If the elevator should ever stop between floors,
do not panic. There is plenty of air in the elevator.
- Never climb out of a stalled elevator.
- Use the “ALARM” or “HELP” button to call for
assistance or the car’s telephone if available.
- Above all, wait for help to arrive and never try
to leave an elevator that has not made a normal stop.
- Emergency lighting will come on in the event of a
power failure.
Escalators and Moving Walks
To avoid accidents or injuries, follow these safety tips whenever
using escalators or moving walks:
Prior to Boarding:
- If you use a cane, walker or wheelchair, do not
use escalators or moving walks. Take the elevator instead.
- Do not take baby strollers on escalators. Take
the elevator instead.
- Wear closed-toed and hard-soled shoes, and avoid
wearing footwear made of soft-resin or other rubbery materials.
- Make certain of the direction that the steps are
moving.
Boarding an Escalator/Moving Walk:
- Grasp the handrail, and then step on promptly.
- Hold children or packages firmly in other hand.
Riding an Escalator/Moving Walk:
- Stand near the center of the step, facing
forward.
- Hold the handrail for the entire ride to help
maintain balance.
- Do not lean against or place handbags or packages
on the handrail.
- Never sit on escalator steps or handrails.
- Keep loose shoe laces, clothing, etc. away from
the sides of the escalator.
- “Stand Right, Walk Left.” When riding on moving
walks, stand to the right and allow walking passengers to pass you on the
left.
Exiting an Escalator/Moving Walk:
- Don’t hesitate. Step off promptly, taking extra
care if wearing bifocals.
- Move quickly away from the exit area to avoid
blocking riders behind you.
In order to avoid injuries, be extra careful on escalators if you
are riding with young children, or wearing loose or long clothing. If there is
an emergency, push one of the STOP buttons located at the top or bottom
landings of the escalator near the handrail or floor level.
NO “KID”DING!
Tips to Help Ensure Children’s Safety
- Do not allow small children to ride escalators
alone.
- Tie all shoelaces and clothing drawstrings and
secure all loose items such as toys before boarding.
- Upon stepping
onto an escalator, hold the child firmly by the hand, while grasping the
handrail with your other hand.
- 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.
- Do not allow children to sit on steps or
handrails, or walk/run on the escalator.
- Do not take strollers on escalators. Use the
elevator instead.
- Position children on the step immediately in
front of you, facing forward, with their feet in the center of the step.
- Lift children who are under five years old on and
off an escalator. They may not yet possess the motor skills necessary to
time getting on and off safely.
- Most of all, stress to children that an escalator
is not a toy or an amusement ride. Do not play on an escalator!
CONTACT: NEII Media Relations
