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.

Door Open Time – Hold the Door!

Door open time allows the passenger to enter or exit the elevator with enough time as not to unnecessarily hurry and to avoid contact with the closing doors. In large buildings with many elevators sharing the same lobby area, it's common for one or two sets of hall call stations to be located a considerable distance from some of the elevators. In that design, often passengers find themselves at the furthest away point from the available elevator and it seems the more you have to carry the farther that is!
Even for single elevator locations with one hall call station in a relatively small lobby, if the door open time is not sufficient you may experience the same problem.
The good news is; it all avoidable and should be easily fixed if there is a problem. Even if the door timing is within the equipments design and meets code parameters, the door times can usually be adjusted readily to meet the needs of the passengers. Elevator systems are configured with door timers that are adjustable and some deteriorate with age and use that is often affected by environmental conditions, poor maintenance, and mal-adjustment. Older systems use relay timers, resistor-capacitor timers (RC circuits) and early solid-state timers. All are subject to age limitations and usage failures. Newer systems implement programmable IC circuits and timers that hold their settings without gradual deterioration, and are very easily changed as needed. Some offer different door times for the same elevator depending on floor location; for instance the lobby may be afforded a greater door open time to allow more time for a greater number of passengers to access the elevator, while other landings may not require the additional time due to less traffic. These systems can be programmed by the service provider should demands change.
The older systems can also be changed by replacing worn or faulty components and times changed by altering the value of the timer components. For instance should more door open time be desired on a system controlled by RC circuitry; by changing the value of either the resistor or capacitor, the change is complete. Same with adjustable timers; by changing the resistor or other timer features, the time is altered.
In other cases a programmable timer may replace an older type and offer a much greater range of adjustments and not be cost prohibitive. Your service provider will be able (or should be able) to offer you options for keeping the door open time current to meet your needs.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has a minimum door open time required. The formula to calculate that minimum door time is: "The minimum acceptable time from notification that a car is answering a call until the door starts to close shall be calculated by the following equation, but shall not be less than 5 seconds":
T = D/1.5 ft/s (D/455 mm/s)
T = total time in seconds and D = distance in feet (millimeters) from the point in the lobby or corridor 60 inches (1525mm) directly in front of the farthest call button controlling that car to the centerline of its hoistway door. T begins when the signal is visible from the point 60 inches (1525mm) directly in front of the farthest hall call button and the audible signal is sounded.
Remember, a five (5) second minimum is required regardless of the physical setup of hall calls, signals, and elevators in your building for hall calls - not car calls registered in the elevator. We bring this point out because we have been often questioned about elevators having less than the minimum 5 seconds when seemingly responding to hall calls but were actually responding to car calls that have a lesser value on open door times. A passenger may be waiting in the elevator lobby, let's say on the third floor of a five landing building, and had placed a down hall call; the elevator stops, doors open and a passenger exits and the doors close in quick order before the hall passenger can access the car. Why? Well the elevator was continuing in the up direction to serve those upper floors and is not responding to the down hall call, but has delivered a passenger to the third floor. Hall passenger sees elevator action, assumes it for their demand, and reacts accordingly. This scenario is not rare; we've noted it often while performing traffic studies for performance evaluations and code compliance.
We will look at car call door times: ADA requires three (3) seconds of fully open door time in response to car calls. Fully open is taken to mean by us as when the door panels open to or clear the door returns or jambs and clear opening access is granted. Time begins at that point and ceases when the door panel(s) extend into the clear opening area. Do not take into consideration visual and audible signals for car call response door times.
The good news is that these times are adjustable and the 5 & 3 second respectively for hall and car demands are minimums; you can exceed those times as needed to provide for comfort and ease of use for your passengers.

We stand prepared to assist.

Reducing Operating Cost.

Reporting Elevator Problems - Leveling
It is possible to minimize downtime and lower operating cost of your vertical equipment by accurately reporting problems when they do occur.
One of the most important and least expensive things an elevator owner can do to reduce costs and improve service from the service vendor is striving to accurately report elevator problems.
A common and arguably the most misreported trouble call concerning elevators are about the floor heights between the outer landing and the elevator cab not being level. It's not so much the fact that the elevator is not within the design parameters of its manufacturer; it's the amount of the difference in level that's reported that adds a degree of difficulty to the responding technician. Accurate information is vital when reporting troubles to the vendor. Think of describing a car problem to a mechanic as "I hear a noise somewhere, sometimes, but not all of the time and maybe not the same noise". Huh?
When I was a service mechanic and later a service manager, one of the most difficult tasks was getting accurate and usable information about a problem being reported. In the workings of an elevator there is huge difference in a .250" and 1" of floor level accuracy. When giving scrutiny to the problem which may be occurring intermittent as well, the logical approach taken to find the cause and resultant corrective action is two very different paths depending on what measurement was used. The old adage of; "Bad info in, bad info out" applies here. Both areas of cause and effect are time consuming and be aware that somewhere, whether it's stated or not, a time clock is running for the technician to resolve the issue and move on.
So the average technician will explore the most obvious fact known: people not involved in the elevator industry most likely are erring when reporting floor level problems.
To determine what the manufacturer of your elevator uses for level tolerance; request that in writing from your service provider so you have a standard to compare any unlevel problem you may note.
Our practical real world experience tells us that a modern elevator in a well maintained condition will consistently stop and hold within 1/16" to 1/8". That does not imply that all elevators will meet that number, in-fact that's far from it. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance does not require that degree of accuracy, nor does applicable code. ADA and The Florida accessibility code requires .500" (1/2") for floor accuracy.

How to Determine the Stopping Accuracy
The best method used to determine the level condition of an elevator by the owner/manager is to obtain a short length straightedge, six inches (6") in length is more than enough, and with the doors fully open, place the edge across the opening on the higher of the two sills; and across to the opposite sill. Then with an accurate rule or gauge, measure the distance from one to another. Record that difference in heights and move to another floor and repeat that process until enough information is gathered to determine the extent of the problem. Report those finding when placing the service call and again when the technician responds. This serves a greater purpose than just getting the problem resolved; it demonstrates to the technician that you care about accuracy of the information and have that working knowledge of the leveling tolerances. Both lend towards a quick and absolute resolve of any problems, reduce downtime due to investigating the extent of any leveling issue, and also can reduce your liability in that you've demonstrated a proactive approach to possible elevator issues. All of that equals less operating costs

Upgrades to Elevator Equipment $aves Money?

When faced with proposals for equipment upgrades from your service vendor how do you separate the good from the bad? What upgrades will reduce your operating costs? Is safety increased?
Here are few upgrades that will positively influence your bottom line.
Elevators:
A. Electronic full screen door edges. These edges are probably the most important upgrade you can do to existing equipment that is currently equipped with twin eye beams and mechanical "bar" type door edges. The full screen detectors react by an object "breaking the beam" sensor that spans the open door area. As many as 80 or more beams cross the open area and span from a ¼" from the bottom to 72" up. Interrupt any one of beams and the door does not close (if nudging timer has not expired) or reopens if the closing cycle has begun. No physical contact necessary, which greatly reduces injury claims and reduces door equipment damage significantly. Edges are available that "see" out from the open entrance and are activated when an object approaches the entrance. Think of a delivery person wheeling a cart towards the open entrance and the door start closing as the cart approaches? Instead of the delivery guy hurrying to place the cart in the path of the closing door and perhaps hitting door, the edge "sees" the approaching object and reopens. These edges can also be installed on freight elevators to offer a safety enhancement on that equipment. *This also presents a profitable opportunity for the elevator maintenance company. More on that follows this desertion.
B. Electronic or "Soft-Starter" for motor starts. Commonly used for hydraulic elevator motor starts, the soft-starter provides a steadily controlled current inrush to the motor. Wye-Delta, and across the line starter systems pass the motor current much more quickly and forcefully. Ever see lights dim when a motor starts or other heavy load is placed on the supplied power source? That's the affect of in-rush current. A motor may take up to 6 times its name plate current to start. The soft-starter softens this in-rush and is of a less strain on the stationary motor components to get them moving. This feature alone saves some motors from failure and at the very least increases motor life. Think of being punched in the arm (by a friend in a friendly gesture!), or having the friends fist placed gently against your shoulder and just "pushing" instead of punching. Which feels better and is easier on your shoulder? That's how a soft-start works. This device also offers additional features that your existing equipment, especially older elevator equipment, may not have. Incoming voltage levels, phase rotation, troubleshooting tools, adjustable superior overload protection, are some of the features included with the new soft-starter and they alone may be worth the price. These soft-starters also offer the same benefits for motor-generator starting as found with some traction (cable) elevators. *This also presents a profitable opportunity for the elevator maintenance company. More on that follows this dialogue.
•C. Leveling/Positioning Units. Besides claims of being struck by elevator doors, tripping due to a miss-leveled elevator is a commonly claimed occurrence. There are a large number of existing elevators with leveling and positioning devices that do not offer the floor level accuracy demanded by litigation risks. In simple terms; does the device used by your elevator system have the capability to reliably position the elevator within a ¼" of level? Some older systems relay on mechanical action of a switch engaging or falling off of a cam. Accuracy is affected by a number of variable factors; amount of load and/or position of load on the elevator, the state of mechanical condition of the switch, wear of internal contacts, and wear of external rollers and cams are a few. There are available positioning units that are far more accurate and dependable in operation. Any leveling system should be directly connected, in our opinion, to the elevator cab; not by chain or tape to a machine room located device. This is not to say that by simply replacing the leveling/positioning unit all leveling problems will be resolved; the positioning unit only provides information to the controller, then that information has to be processed and decisions made and actions carried out to either stop the cab at the correct position or move then cab into the correct position. So there are several other factors that come into play. The leveling/positioning device is an integral tool in the complete system that unless it provides the correct information; nothing good will happen. *This also presents a profitable opportunity for the elevator maintenance company. More on that follows this dialogue.
•D. Hydraulic Power Unit. A large subject for a relatively short article. Very simply put; it replaces the existing pump, motor, valve, and muffler, all housed in a new reservoir. The existing unit may be either at the end of its serviceable life (worn out) or rendered obsolete. These new units are commonly available with submersible motors and pumps that offer quiet operation and greater car control. Installation is straightforward and in most cases can be done in a few days. Cost can be considerable, but the saving's in reliability resulting in fewer callbacks and in-service hours gained offset the cost. *This also presents a profitable opportunity for the elevator maintenance company. More on that follows this dialogue.
•E. Cab Enhancements. Voice annunciators, improved ventilation, and increased lighting in the cab increases rider confidence and comfort.
The voice annunciator device delivers an audible voice recording that gives location and/or emergency information. Common use would be that when the elevator arrives at a designated floor, a recording would come on "2nd floor, please watch your step" or when the doors are delayed from closing "please clear the door's, they are closing" or words to that effect. Emergency instructions may direct the passenger(s) to "exit the elevator when the doors open" or other chosen directions.
Increased lighting provides a comfort level for passengers. Easy to see entrance sills and car operating stations allow for safer and confident use. Same as the difference in entering a strange room that's very dim versus a room that is bright and cheerful.
Increased ventilation can be had by improving the air flow in and out of the cab. A common complaint passengers have is the cab feels "hot or stuffy". Entrapment's are usually compounded by the passengers feeling of "running out of air", which only exist in the movies, but the sensation of being in a small box and not having control of the situation and with those movie scenes running through their heads; folks are somewhat assured if air supply is notable and lighting conditions are sufficient to relieve some stress. *This also presents a profitable opportunity for the elevator maintenance company. More on that follows this dialogue.
Escalators:
A. Side skirt brushes. These safety enhancement devices are simple brushes attached to the skirt panel area of the escalator all along the incline and each end. Escalator injury claims resulting from clothing; pants or hems, and/or small body parts; child's toes and fingers being trapped in-between the moving step and the skirt panels along the interior of the escalator, are greatly reduced or eliminated by installing these devices on each side of the escalator. Placed no closer than an inch above the steps, the brush soft bristles face inward perpendicular to the skirt and when the rider contacts the brush with the legs or feet the natural reaction is to move away from the brush, thus relocating the body away from the gap between the step and skirt. Besides proper maintenance and repair of an escalator, in our opinion, the installation of skirt brushes offers the most protection against injury claims. A wise investment. *This also presents a profitable opportunity for the elevator maintenance company. More on that follows this dialogue.
B. Voice Annunciator, Increased Lighting and Signage. Having a voice annunciator announce instructions for proper riding position may reduce reported calms of incidents or injuries. "Please hold the Handrail", "No Strollers or Carts" are two of several messages that can be used. Annunciators can be run as a continues loop or activated when passengers approach or enter the escalator. Having increased lighting at the entrance, exit, and incline improves safety, rider comfort and confidence. Clear and pertinent signage is required by code but often is in poor condition due to traffic and cleaning solutions. Ensure that the signage placed properly and meets code requirements.
*This also presents a profitable opportunity for the elevator maintenance company. More on that follows this dialogue.
C. Comb Plates. Contrasting color comb plates increase awareness of the entrance and exiting of the moving steps. We recommend bright yellow comb plates. They offer the greatest contrast with the landing plates and steps and draw the rider's eye. As comb plates are a wear item and often damaged during escalator use (or misuse!) it cost very little if any, for the yellow ones. When choosing to do this, replace all the existing non-yellow comb plates as a set. Not a good practice to mix colors. It confuses some riders and can make exiting the escalator stressful. *This also presents a profitable opportunity for the elevator maintenance company. More on that follows this dialogue.
*The profit opportunity offered to the service contractor can be substantial in two ways; the first being the upgrade work itself and secondly there may be reduction in maintenance cost realized by the contractor as well. A profit should be realized by the company doing the work; that's why they are in business. Materials used for upgrades are commonly supplied by the elevator company with considerable mark up. Profit is realized on labor as well.
The possible reduction in maintenance cost (re: risk) for the service vendor can be very significant. By installing a soft-starter for example eliminates the labor expended on examining and replacing worn contacts on the removed contactors. This can be considerable as the replaceable contacts have become costly in recent years, often a few hundred dollars a set. This cost-risk goes away once the new starter is installed. Of course the soft-starter has to be included in the maintenance agreement and having these devices fail does happen, so that risk is assumed by the service company.
Door full screen edges reduce door failures by limiting physical contact between humans and objects and the moving equipment and also greatly reduce injury claims. Both of those items reduce the service vendors maintenance cost.
So you are correct in discussing a maintenance cost reduction from you service vendor if any upgrades are installed.
We stand prepared to assist.

Upgrade – Repair – Replace?

Often when faced with old and/or worn or failed elevator (and by definition escalator) equipment the owner can consider several options, some confusing and depending on whom is pitching what product, the picture gets as clear as mud. A few observations that may help:
Upgrades:
We consider an upgrade to be an improvement to existing equipment.
Let's suppose that elevator door operation failures are noted and the cause is determined to be worn door operator components as reported from the elevator service vendor. And as the door operator is covered under most maintenance contracts, the service provider is required to maintain and fix it, but the vendor is not required to upgrade it. Now a door operator, unless outdated or uniquely manufactured can generally be rebuilt and brought to acceptable condition. However, this may not be the most beneficial course of action as given the relatively low cost of replacement with new operator that offers superior performance and operating features. In going the replacement route a discount in maintenance fees as a onetime or monthly deduction may be available from the service vendor. That discussion should take place with the service vendor before any decision is made as the savings may be considerable and will factor in that decision. Increased safety and a reduction in injury claims are to be taken into account bas well with a new door operator.
A common problem that escalator owners are faced with is handrail deterioration. There are a few options available for improved material type and other aesthetic options. Handrails commonly fail due to poor handrail drive and guide systems. If so, why not take the opportunity to use a higher grade replacement when the vendor replaces the component. As with door operators; the handrail drive system and its guide components are covered under most maintenance contracts, and it may be a small cost if any, to upgrade when replacing the handrail.
Repairs:
Repair work is fairly straightforward; it's broke, fix it. How it came to failure is the key. Was it due to abuse, vandalism, weather, accidental, or a wear item, failure of proper maintenance? That needs to be determined and the root cause rectified to prevent a reoccurrence. Much money has been spent only to have the same problem repeat itself. Once knowing the cause, you can look to the upgrade and replacement options.
Replacement/Modernization:
Replacements can be considered a repair with major component replacements such as with a modernization and due to the high cost usually involved, it must be approached with research and foresight. Why replace that worn escalator with all the related cost, when it may be possible to achieve performance, reliability, and aesthetics by doing some repairs and upgrades? As with most equipment, I've rarely, if ever, seen an elevator guide rail or escalator truss wear out. Why replace them when in most cases it's just not necessary? Modernizations are validated by the existing equipment not meeting the criteria presented today for performance. Also the aesthetic aspect is important to a building's success and tenants so it cannot be overlooked.
We stand ready to assist in any way we can in helping you make the right decision.

Elevator Maintenance. Your Paying For it, are You Getting It?

The majority of elevator equipment owners pay for ongoing maintenance, usually as a three (3) or five (5) year contract deal with an elevator company: either an independent or manufacturer. However, paying for something does not mean you are getting that something. Wish that there was a quick and easy method to determine if the payments you are making are enough to ensure proper maintenance? Me too, but that’s not the case. I have a chart in development that takes into account; age, usage, environment, and a few variables but that is in the works and will be available at a later date. What we can do is look at a few items that will reveal a picture we can use to see how you’re equipment management program is doing:
A. The age of the existing elevator equipment. Industry standards have been that equipment in place for 20 to 25 years with proper maintenance is a candidate for upgrades or replacement. Well, keep in mind that most “industry standards” are the product of the industry they promote; selling new equipment or upgrades. We’ve found that older equipment that has been properly maintained is capable of safe, reliable operation within its design parameters for many years past the “industry standards”.
B. The duty rating of the elevator equipment. Is your elevator being used as designed? Or has the building’s operation led to an increase in population or equipment use? Less use? Is what was at one time a designated passenger elevator now being used more and more as a service/freight conveyance? True, an elevator can’t tell if a person or package is riding, (weight is weight) has the use of cargo carts and other moving tools led to uneven loads, sill and floor damage, and cab deterioration? Delivery guy placing a box in front of the doors to keep them open while he drops off packages?
C. Has equipment room temperature and humidity controls been left unmonitored or indoor climate systems left unrepaired in equipment rooms due to cost control measures?
D. Are trouble-calls (callbacks is a common term) at a high level and/or rising? We figure anything over four (4) callbacks a year for equipment related problems per piece of equipment is reason for concern.
E. Have any upgrades, especially safety related ones, been performed?
F. Is the required documentation for all equipment on site and up to date? Wiring diagrams, maintenance and safety test records, emergency service tests, and callback records?
These are the six questions you should look at and take an analysis of the answers. Let’s see how we fare:
A. Age of equipment. Greater than 20 years?
B. Duty rating. How does the current traffic and use compare to when the equipment was installed or last upgraded? More demand on equipment?
C. Equipment environment. Is the machine room climate controlled?
D. Callbacks. Four or more per piece of equipment per year?
E. Safety upgrades? Including emergency communications and entrapment assistance.
F. Documentation? You either have it or you do not. Can you produce everything you need if required to by court order or by official requests?
Use A thru F to determine if a closer look at your maintenance program is warranted.
Contact us with any questions. We are prepared to assist.

Low Bid the Best Bid?

Of course not! The low bid is simply that: a price submitted to gain the work being offered and it may not even reflect the vendor’s best product, just the product that may meet the minimum requirement of the project.
Important to consider is that the product/services submitted are generally the one that produces the greatest profit margin for the bidder. The client has to be sure that the product offered will meet or exceed the requirements of the project, not just the minimums. When involving ongoing services such as elevator maintenance contracts which are normally but not exclusively; a 5 years deal, it is important to look at the overall value of the bidder’s service history and local strength.
A bidder that submits a higher monthly cost may be doing that realistically to meet the contracts objectives and still entertain a reasonable profit for its owners. Nothing wrong with that. We desire the vendors to be profitable; that’s just good business. What is wrong is to submit a price that is known to be unrealistic to meet the contracts specifications and then attempt to “bill your way to profitability” or to not perform as required by the contract.
In a typical construction or modernization project, a 5 year maintenance contract may be a part of the bid package with the maintenance portion to be consecutive with the end of the warranty period. That maintenance price would have been itemized in the original bid so its price can be examined to determine that value to the client in the long term picture. Part of bidding process to chose a vendor includes the comparative of long term service relationship and initial construction costs to best select the winning bidder.
Suspect would be abnormally low construction cost far below that of the next few bidders. Elevator company to company comparisons show that materials and labor cost somewhat even the playing field. While union labor can substantially increase that cost for those vendors, efficient installation procedures with products developed to reduce the labor expended often offset the higher labor cost. Nonunion labor vendors may have the edge in labor cost but are likely to be non-manufactures of the equipment and will pay a greater amount for materials. Of course there are exceptions to both scenarios.
Abnormally high bids may indicate a poorly drafted bid specification or other factors that caused the bidder to protect themselves. It could be that their labor costs are significantly higher in that area or their product may have to be modified to fit the project.
Bids have to be clear and free of any ambiguous language. It’s to the clients benefit that the bid specifications are drafted to contain exactly what is required. That way the true costs are known and the vendor has the expectation of a reasonable profit in exchange for its services.
Separating the chaff from the wheat is the work of a knowledgably consultant.