Home Improvement

How to Cope with an Elevator Service Outage in the Building You Manage

Businesses rely on elevators every day to scale the heights of their skyscraping office buildings. Now, what happens if the elevator’s power goes down and you’re supposed to already have a plan of action? If you aren’t prepared for this scenario, luckily, you’ve come to just the right place. In this article, we will tell you how to keep your cool and lead your business to elevator safety.

Regular Maintenance

Dealing with a power outage starts from before the lift begins carrying people towards certain death. You need to make sure that your elevator is regularly maintained, and you should keep records of such because no one wants to lose a liability suit. The best way to stay ahead of the game is to hire a verified elevator service company like ATIS.

On the Outside

Your elevator’s power has gone out, and you’re on the outside listening to the screams of those trapped inside – what do you do?

The first thing you need to do is block access so people know they’re in for a hike. You can do this with tape or cordon.

Once access is blocked, whether there are people trapped inside or not, you need to call someone out to get your elevator back up and running. Time is money for your business, so you need to get people off the stairs and back in the elevator as soon as possible. Therefore, it’s important to choose an elevator company that offers 24/7 support and will have access at all times.

Common Problems

Knowing what the most common issues are can help you spot potential elevator accidents before they happen. You can find out what they are below:

  • Operating system shutdown. If your elevator’s OS fails, you may find that the doors won’t open. Further, your elevator might just fail to find the correct floor.
  • Engine failure. Your elevator relies on the motor to keep the mechanics rolling. If you don’t get your elevator maintained, the engine can wear down and cause power outages.
  • Believe it or not, one of the most common causes of elevator accidents is human sabotage, which includes spilling drinks, overloading, or maliciously cutting wires. Any of these will cause your elevator issues.
  • Power outages. Power cuts are inevitable and will take more than just your elevator out. If the power cut is isolated to your elevator, you should check the system hasn’t shorted.
  • Oil contamination. If your motor isn’t maintained and routinely checked, shards of metal can enter the oil stream. If this happens, your elevator will likely short down. This is the same principle as needing clean oil running through your car.

Dealing with elevator power outages in your building can be chaotic. However, with a plan in place and regular maintenance, your life should be plain sailing. Obviously, you can’t prevent complete power outages or the inevitable buffoonery of the general public. If your elevator does go down, all you can do is block access and call out the professionals.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *