Proper Extraction from Stopped Elevator

Being trapped in an elevator car can be one of the scariest things that can happen in an elevator. It is easy to panic and worry that help won’t come – but this is not true! There are procedures in place to get people out of elevators that have stopped. On this page, I will discuss some of the basic steps that a team should take when getting passengers out of a stuck elevator car. If you were stuck in an elevator and injured because this procedure was not followed, please contact my office for further assistance.

Authorization

First and foremost, getting passengers out of a stopped elevator car should only be a process undertaken by authorized personnel. If unauthorized people take on the task of extracting passengers, and an accident occurs, is not the fault of the contractor or the elevator owner. To keep you and others safe, make sure that an authorized team is coming to help – not someone at the front desk of the building you are in or some good samaritans trying to help.

Proper Procedure

Once you have contacted an authorized team, it is their job to follow procedure and get you and other passengers out of the car. They should communicate with you, whether through the intercom on the elevator control panel, or in some other way. They should ask some basic questions such as how many people are in the car and how long have you been stuck. They should do their best to keep you calm and help you feel safe.

Then, they should go to the main switchboard and turn off the electric supply. The main switchboard should be located in the machine room for the elevator. They should only turn off the electric supply for the elevator car that is being affected.

Next, they should open the landing door using the landing door key in order to rescue trapped passengers. If the elevator car has stopped too far away from the nearest landing floor, it is not safe to get the passengers out. The rescue team should not attempt to get you or anyone else out if this is the case. Instead, they should wait for a lift technician to get there and move the elevator car.

Your Injuries

These are a few of the basic steps that should be followed when getting someone out of a trapped elevator car. If the rescue team did not follow these steps and you were injured as a result, you might have a personal injury case. If this is the case, it is a good idea to contact an attorney who has worked with elevator injury cases before. A lawyer can advise you on the next steps to take and who you should sue if you want to file a lawsuit. For help determining this, you can contact my office. I am happy to answer any questions that you have and review your case with you. For more information, contact my office today!