Escalator Accident Injury and Damage Claims

Most owners/managers of escalators can attest that accident and property damage claims can be a distracting influence on their operation and budgets to put it mildly. While some claims have merit, others much less so. How does the owner of this most efficient people moving equipment ensure that all is done to provide a safe and non-eventful ride? We will attempt to provide some answers and methods.
Read a couple of articles recently that claim accident claims are up as much as 60% in recent years for elevator and escalator equipment. My professional observation has been that this is true and I see no less for the immediate future. We wish it were otherwise but the reality is that the equipment owner must take steps to alleviate claims. I know of no escalator owner who doesn't want to reduce the possibility of accidents, it the moral and responsible thing to do; and it makes business sense. The only people who make a nickel on escalator accidents are legal and, well, experts like me. The person who may be injured can suffer beyond a dollar amount. The elevator Service Company and owner face payouts and increased insurance premiums. This article discusses the riding public, not the workers who face certain injury if strict safety measures are not followed. We will discuss that aspect in a future posting.
So the goal is to reduce costly claims no matter the driving force that motive. The first thing we will look at is escalator lighting and access areas. We will cover several more escalator subjects in the next few weeks.
1. Lighting. Two areas to consider; Exterior and interior.
Exterior: Take a light reading in the escalator area. ASME Code requires a 5 footcandle minimum which is fairly dim, and the lighting must be even without contrasting areas. Of course meeting the minimum may offer some legal protection but it may not be in the owner's best interest. As our population grows older and we see more of that older crowd being active, it stands to reason that a greater number of seniors are riding escalators during shopping and social activities. I know that it requires better lighting for me to see as well now as I did 20 years ago, and I'm not alone in this (my eyes are just as good as they ever were, it's just that someone keeps turning the lights down). Brighten up the entrance, incline, and exit areas.
Interior: This is the under-step green light that is visible (hopefully) as you enter and exit the escalator. Check with local code and ask your service provider, or us, if increased under-step lighting is a viable goal.
2. Access & Exit Areas: There is a code required "Safe Zone" for the approach and exit areas of an escalator. As a general rule for a 48" escalator which measures 40" in step width, measure 80" out from the farthest arch point of the handrail as it goes around the end of the escalator; that is the safe-zone length. For safe-zone width; measure from the centerline of each handrail outward and then add 8". Below is a rough drawing showing illustrating the safe-zone.
Escalator safe-zones vary depending on the escalator step width. The example I used for this sample is a 48" escalator. We can assist you in determining your safe-zone and any other questions you may have.