It’s Spooky Season, and one of the most common fears is getting trapped in an elevator. Whether it’s perpetuated through action movies or horror films and rides, such as The Tower of Terror, we’re here to debunk many misconceptions surrounding elevator safety. Here are some of the safety mechanisms built into elevators to prevent those unlikely scenarios from occurring.
Elevator Cables Snapping
One common myth is that the elevator cab can suddenly snap the cables and plummet several floors to the bottom of the shaft. All elevators with a cable and motor system has multiple lines supporting the cab. These cables are engineered to hold over twelve times the weight of the cab at max capacity. As a further precaution, most elevators will not move or close the doors if the weight limit is exceeded.
Plummeting Cabs
While you may have seen Elevator cabs free-falling to the ground floor in movies and television, the reality is that elevators are built with speed regulators that trigger emergency breaks to stop the elevator from moving. Even if the power goes out, the elevator comes to a controlled stop and will not fall to the bottom.
Running Out of Air
While claustrophobia can be a concern in the event of an elevator being stuck, you might be unaware that cabs are intentionally designed to have good airflow in the event of a power failure. Cab floors must be 2% vents and allow for an adequate amount of air to be compliant.
Trapped in the Elevator Doors
Aside from being trapped inside the cab, the most considerable fear surrounding elevators is getting stuck between the doors while the elevator begins to move. Engineers have built multiple safety fail-safes that prevent such a scenario from happening. The majority of elevators are equipped with an infrared entryway that, when disrupted, signals the elevator not to activate until the signal returns. The same mechanism prevents the elevator from moving between floors while the elevator door is open.
The safety features listed above are mandatory for all Elevators to remain up-to-code. Sapphire Elevator has a proven record of maintaining elevator safety regulations to keep guests safe and elevators updated. To ensure that your building’s elevators are safe, contact Sapphire Elevator’s reliable technicians to inspect your building’s transportation equipment today.
Have a Safe and Happy Halloween from Sapphire Elevator!
