Safety Tips If You Are Stalled in an Elevator

Facing an elevator emergency or getting stuck in a stalled elevator can be overwhelming and frightening. Keeping yourself calm and other passengers calm can be a difficult thing to do, but is essential if you find yourself in this situation. On this page, you can learn some tips of what to do if you are stalled in an elevator and need to get help. Following these instructions can reduce your risk of being injured in this situation.

What to Do in an Elevator Emergency

Here are a few elevator safety tips if you find yourself in an emergency:

• Do not try to climb out of a stalled elevator. While you might see people do this on TV, it is not the best way to handle the situation.
• Remember that emergency lights will come on if an elevator stalls and there is enough oxygen for you and others to breathe for some time.
• Utilize the “alarm” and “help”buttons in the event of an emergency.
• Do not try to be a hero – wait for qualified help to assist you with the situation that you face.

Tips in Case Your Elevator Stalls

If you find yourself in a stalled elevator, the first thing that you should try doing is pushing the “door open” button and see if this will allow the door to open. If you are close to a landing, the door should open. If the landing is close enough for you to walk out, you may carefully do so. Make sure to watch your step as the elevator may be misleveled with the flooring in this situation.

If the elevator door will not open, this likely means that you are too far away from a floor landing to reach a landing safely. It is important to stay calm in this situation. Don’t try to pry the doors open or get out the elevator through the ceiling. Remember that there is air circulating in the elevator and you should be able to breathe properly as you wait for help.

At this time, it is important to contact those qualified to assist. Use any communication option available in the elevator such as a phone, or press the “help” or “alarm” button. Newer elevators will have a phone that you can use to communicate with a call center. The coordinates of the elevator will be sent to someone who can help. If you are in an older elevator, try to give the person you are communicating with as much information about the location of the elevator and the situation that you are in as possible.

In some situations, an elevator may have a two way speaker that will help you communicate with a rescue team or building personnel. Don’t be frightened if you press the speaker and you can’t hear anyone on the other end – oftentimes rescue teams will contact you through the speaker only when they arrive at the building. Give them time and try to be patient.

Remember that if the doors do not open when you press the “door open” button, you should not attempt to exit the elevator. This is very dangerous. Instead, you should wait for help to arrive. Try to relax and stay calm. While this is understandably a scary situation, you are safe while staying in the elevator and waiting for professional help.

Help After an Accident

If you are injured because an elevator accident occurs, contact my office for help. I can determine if you have a case and if you could be eligible for compensation. I am happy to help you through this experience.