Elevator Safety Tips for Children and Elderly Users

Elevator Safety Tips for Children and Elderly Users

Today, elevators have become a common aspect, especially in high rise buildings. This adds up the convenience, and improves accessibility. However, one must know about the safety measures before using the elevator. Being one of the leading elevator manufacturers, IEC Lifts provides customized design options and promotes safety awareness among users.

Today, this blog will talk about safety measures for children and elderly passengers, and pinpoint the features that make the best home elevator’s ride safe and smooth.

 

Why Elevator Safety Matters More for Children and the Elderly

Children have a great curiosity in their mind, and can sometimes act unpredictably. They are in the habit of pressing buttons, rushing in or out of the cabin, or trying to play near elevator doors. On the contrary, elderly people may face mobility issues, due to slow reaction time or medical conditions. All such situations make them prone to falls and confusion in case of emergencies.

Key Elevator Safety Tips

Supervision is critical

It is important for adults to keep a watch on children, especially toddlers and young kids. Never keep them alone while operating a lift. Elderly people with physical disabilities or memory issues should not board the lift alone.

Avoid Playing Near Elevators

Educate children that playing near an elevator is dangerous. Running in between the cabin, pressing elevator’s buttons randomly, or trying to stop the lifts with hands can be dangerous. Similarly, elderly people should be aware of some basic protocols before using the lift to remain safe.

Mind the Gap: Ensure Smooth Transitions

The area between the building and elevator floor should be smooth. At IEC lifts, our elevator manufacturers team designs door sills to accommodate wheelchairs, mobility scooters, and walkers. This will help elderly people enter or exit through the doors smoothly and without tripping.

Technical Innovations That Enhance Safety

At IEC lifts, we ensure that the elevator design must support safety. Below are some technical details to which we pay attention:

Infrared (IR) Curtains for Obstacle Detection

We have designed elevators with IR curtains at the car doors for a secured optical barrier. These sensors can sense obstacles, such as a child’s hands, walking stick, or a pet, as they may get caught between the doors. In case any obstacle is detected, the lift will retract to avoid any injury.

Pressure Sensors on the Car Door

Along with IR detection, pressure sensors are also integrated on the doors for additional safety. In case the IR curtain is accidentally bypassed and something gets caught between the doors, like a wheelchair, scarf, etc, the pressure sensor will stop and open the doors to avoid any harm.

Emergency Backup During Power Outages

Power failure may cause chaos, especially among young children and the elderly who are inside the elevator. IEC Lifts comes with a built-in emergency backup system that gets activated during power outages. This will allow lifts to stop at the nearest floor and open their doors. This avoids fear and trauma of being trapped inside.

Accessibility Features for Special Needs

It is important for lifts to be user-friendly for individuals. Elevator manufacturers can improve the user experience with below features:

Braille-enabled buttons

Braille-enabled buttons make it easy for blind people to identify the floors and operate the lift with confidence. Many elevator manufacturers, like IEC lifts, provide customized elevators to ensure that all the individuals, even those with special needs, are able to navigate elevators safely.

Voice Announcements

Auditory cues are a boon for users that are visually impaired or have cognitive challenges. IEC Lifts is here with voice announcement features to let the users hear the floor level, travel direction, and other necessary messages. This voice support boosts confidence among passengers and gives them a sense of safety.

Proactive Safety Practices for Users

User behaviour in case of an emergency condition will matter a lot. Below are some of the proactive practices that should be followed:

Secure loose items

Keep loose items, like bags, belts, rope, or pet leashes, away from the door gap. These items can easily get caught in the moving door panels, causing interruptions even in the best home elevators functionality.

Do not force the doors

Children follow their elder ones and may try to stop the doors with hands or feet. Educate them to never attempt to close or open the door by force. Likewise, elderly people must wait for the next door to open if they find a closed lift, rather than rushing.

Wait for the cabin to level properly

People with mobility issues should wait for the elevator to align with the floor before stepping in or out. Misalignment (usually the case with an old lift) can lead to trips or falls.

Responding to emergency condition

Sometimes, even after taking all the precautions, emergencies may come.

Press emergency button

All the elevators of IEC lifts contain an emergency button that connects passengers with security or emergency services. Guide the children or elderly people on how to use this button in case they feel unsafe or if the lift stops unexpectedly.

Stay Calm and Do Not Attempt to Exit

There is no need to panic inside the lift in case of a power cut off. The elevators’ emergency protocol will activate. Encourage children or elderly people to stay calm and wait for help, instead of trying to open the door forcefully, which can be dangerous.

Conclusion

Right from the building manager to users and elevator manufacturers, all are responsible for a safe elevator journey. At IEC Lifts, we never get satisfied with basic standards, instead, we go with intelligent safety systems, like pressure-sensitive doors, IR curtains, emergency backups, and more to keep your loved ones safe.

Are you a parent or caretaker of an elderly person? Staying informed about how to operate a lift and manage an emergency condition can make a difference. Follow the above safety tips and always believe in technologically advanced, best home elevators to remain safe.

You must take help from reputed lift manufacturers to keep your loved ones safe inside the lift.