Escalator Steps: The Down & Dirty

"Our Goal is to have the Customer not recall anything about the Escalator Ride. They simply got on and off without distraction"
-JD Moleski
Escalators are perhaps the most efficient people moving machines for several environments, the retail industry being one of them. And while no definitive data has been gathered that shows the affects of having poor operating or unsightly escalators it is our contention that any negative takes away from the shopping experience, which in turn reduces sales.
When escalator steps become oil/grease stained it reflects as an indicator of poor service and general shoddy environmental conditions with a perception from the customer of a poorly run operation overall. I've spent a myriad of hours performing traffic studies and observations on escalators and have often overheard negative comments regarding performance and appearances of the equipment. The first concern is safe mechanical operation; jerking handrails and step vibrations cause immediate concern to the riders, then aesthetics come into play. While apparent malfunctioning mechanical operation will make most riders decline to enter the machine, most aesthetics will not and the rider will continue on, and some grumpily so.
Safety: Oil is slippery. It's designed to offer a fluid barrier between metal parts and as such will do the same between the shoe and step/floor surface, so people slip and fall. For this reason alone the steps should be clean and dry.
Once the rider's footwear becomes oil/grease contaminated it is easily spread throughout the store on carpets and tiles. Also the passengers clothing often comes into contact with the surface area of the steps and as such with any oils and the negative sales affect that is understandable and considerable.
Our next concern is the "why"; Why are the steps evident of lubricants? Are the stains fresh or a remainder from a mechanical failure that was not cleaned up? Is the condition ongoing? Will catastrophic failure be soon? As with most equipment, escalator gearboxes and other lubricant vessels have seals and gaskets to contain the fluids. Escalator drive and step chains are not generally enclosed but have drip pans to catch and contain excess lubricants that may drip from the chains as they are lubed. These containment trays must be empted and wiped clean as needed to prevent overflow. To see evidence of oils and grease anywhere except where its designed to be indicates something's wrong and needs attention. The often heard "it just the way that equipment is" is an attempt to avoid labor-intensive repairs and maintenance, and does nothing to rectify the failure, it only adds to it.
We've seen on several occasions where the lubricant has leaked to and through the ceiling onto display cases and sales floors. That may present a "negative" aspect to the shopping experience!
Anytime lubricant is present where its not supposed to be, it means that somewhere else within a component is not being lubricated properly, most likely due to a low level of lubricant condition because it has leaked out. If you were to see a large puddle of oil under your car would you just assume all is well or know that you have a leak and to continue to drive the car may ruin the engine? Same with escalator equipment.
A savvy escalator tech can look at the oil stains and pinpoint the most likely suspect. For example if the stain is located to the center right of the steps on a Montgomery unit, the gearbox seals are suspect. At either side of the steps, we suspect over-oiling of the step chains as a staring point. Obviously the suspected leaking gearbox seals are a priority; lubricant is escaping and bearing and gear damage will result. That unit should be shut down until repairs are made. This is not an easy or minor decision as the 1 to 2 escalator is considered the most valuable piece of mechanical equipment in the store. But to continue operation will only degrade the equipment and far costlier repairs will be required in the future, perhaps far enough away that the service vendor will be long gone or able to deflect the reasonability for the repair. Insist on prompt and complete repairs.
Most escalators are designed with some sort of automatic oiling system. And most of the service companies for a variety of reasons, none of which make sense, have disabled most of the ones I've seen. There are some new systems that when the oil level is below predetermined value the escalator shuts-down, and some of these have been field disabled as well. There are several aftermarket auto-lubricating systems available that will adapt to most escalators. While we are divided on the use of auto-lubricators between the need for proper lubrication and the very real advantages of a tech looking at the workings of a unit monthly while monitoring oil levels and their application, the need for a consistent method of applying the proper type and amount of lube is paramount to a successful preventative maintenance program.
After the leak is visible on the steps, we've long left the "preventative" aspect of maintenance and entered into the "reactive" repair stage. The problem had failed to be determined in its early stages. Why? Is the maintenance tech doing all that you are paying for? Are you getting preventative maintenance or reactive (callback) maintenance? Has the tech done all he or she could to do proper maintenance only to find poor response from management above? Has the service provider requested repair downtime only to have the customer delay? Somewhere the program has failed and the owner has a mess to cleanup with associated costs.
So after the cause is determined and repairs are completed, who is responsible for cleaning the steps? What about floor tile, carpets, and any claims of clothing damage? It is my determination in most cases that the service provider is the responsible party unless circumstances out of their control are a factor, such as delays by the owner/agent in allowing access and time for repairs. We have often witnessed such scenarios. Look at your maintenance agreement, discuss with your service provider, and if needed we are available to help.
Cleaning Methods for Steps:
There are a few machines available for step cleaning. Be aware that the most common cleaning machine only does the flat tread surface (the one you stand on) and leaves the riser untouched. The machine for the complete tread and riser cleaning cost about $50K, which may prove a wise investment for mid to large retailers. The machine could be transferred between several locations and operated after closing hours. There are services that will clean each step after its been removed and then the step is re-installed. This is very costly due to the labor involved in removing and then replacing the steps but has the best results overall in regard to achieving clean steps. I've had service tech's spend a couple hours each morning before the store opens, in the lower pit where applicable, and hand clean steps. Long process but has the advantage of "putting the hands on" each step to examine rollers, tread and riser plates, step frames, and other maintenance items such as step chains, gears, tracks and switches. This is the very best method as it ensures the best possible examination is performed. Regardless of the cleaning method used, it is essential that the steps be maintained, clean and dry.
We hope this helps and we are available to assist.
Look for the upcoming article on handrails.