Nowadays all the commercial buildings are high storeyed. You will require an elevator to travel up or down. While elevators are a time saver and prevent bringing excess energy to humans, they also carry a high risk of accidents and mechanical or system failures.
So when you are traveling in an elevator, you must take care of your safety by implementing a few precautions and preventative measures.
An accident can happen to anyone without any prior notice. Sometimes no matter how careful you are, you might encounter an elevator accident without any fault of your own. In such a situation, you must contact a personal injury attorney in Scranton, PA, as soon as possible and file for a personal injury claim.
Tips to prevent elevator accidents
- Ensure that the elevator is not overloaded
Several elevator accidents occur due to people overcrowding it. We understand that you might have specific time commitments and need to reach your destination as soon as possible; however, overcrowding or getting on a crowded elevator can only harm you and others. So it is best to wait for another elevator or the same elevator to come back empty or less crowded.
Remember that every elevator has a specific capacity, and if it weighs above its maximum carrying capacity, it might go through a system failure and suddenly stop working. This sudden halt of the elevator can induce a jerk inside and cause the passenger to crash themselves into the elevator walls or fall on the floor resulting in a back, knee, shoulder, or head injury.
- Ensure that the elevator goes under regular maintenance
While it is challenging to track whether every elevator goes through maintenance or not, you must ensure that the elevator you regularly travel, like your office lift, goes through a regular check-up and maintenance. This way, you can ensure that the elevator you are traveling in is in the best condition and has minimal chance of showing a system or mechanical failure resulting in an elevator accident.
One way to identify whether an elevator is well maintained or not is to check its rope. If you notice the rope is clean and does not show any signs of wear and tear, it means the elevator goes through a regular maintenance check.
On the other hand, when the elevator has a dirty rope, it is probably poorly maintained. It does not pay enough attention to the safety of the passenger and its functioning.
Moreover, you must also check whether all the emergency alarms and facilities in the elevator are in working condition as soon as you enter it. This is a critical step, and you can call for help immediately with these safety measures.
