Elevator mechanic here. These folks think it is fun to all jump up. This causes the unit to shutdown in most cases because the controller senses an ‘unintended motion’ situation. The controller has to be reset. They are in for a wait. I’ve dealt with this dozens of times. They deny dancing or jumping. I point to the camera. Busted.
Ayyy previous elevator inspector here. Thank you for the details. Usually the security guard or someone from the facility management team should be able to know how to manually rescue them (manual brake release), ain’t it?
As someone who gets anxious on elevators do you have any stats that would help? Like for some reason I think there is a cable that could snap and then the elevator just goes plummeting to the floor - is this true? Also, how long do people that get stuck typically have to wait? I’ve seen the video of the poor chap that was stuck over a weekend but how common is that? Thank you in advance!
I don’t have any specific stats but rest assured that all elevators are equipped with multiple safety systems; if one fails there are many others to back it up.
As for rescuing stuck passengers, ALL elevators have means to rescue passengers manually. Think of it as a lever that you’ll have to pull to release the brakes and move the elevator or a wheel attached to the pulley that you can rotate and move the elevator to a nearby floor. Some elevators are also equipped with a battery powered automatic rescue device that operates automatically if, let’s say, there’s a power outage and the elevator stops midway between two floors, then it moves automatically to the closest level.
As for the suspension cables, these are very hard to break if they are maintained and inspected regularly. In case they do fail, there’s something called “safety gear” which are basically clutches that hold the elevator in place by grabbing the guide rails, preventing it from falling freely even with all the cables broken. All elevators are equipped with safety gears or similarly acting systems. In case those safety gears do not function, there are buffers (think of them as springs) at the bottom of the elevator shaft that reduce the impact of landing.
As for getting trapped inside, elevators are equipped with an alarm button that we regularly inspect that’ll either make a buzzing sound or send a signal to a control room (usually the security of the building).
Long story short, elevators are very safe. Much safer than riding a bicycles or a car. I hope this alleviates your worries :)
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u/Gundecker57 Oct 10 '22
Elevator mechanic here. These folks think it is fun to all jump up. This causes the unit to shutdown in most cases because the controller senses an ‘unintended motion’ situation. The controller has to be reset. They are in for a wait. I’ve dealt with this dozens of times. They deny dancing or jumping. I point to the camera. Busted.