blue + white blog title graphic "Managing Safe Elevators in Buildings with Vulnerable Riders"

Managing Safe Elevators in Buildings with Vulnerable Riders

December 10, 2024

Elevators in hospitals and schools transport a vulnerable population to their needed destinations. Because of this, these elevators must be working properly and safely. There are many ways to prioritize elevator safety through maintenance protocols, equipment upgrades, usage policies, and emergency preparedness plans.

What Makes Schools and Hospitals Vulnerable Places?

Within school buildings, visitors include a range of ages from as young as five years old to elderly age. Elevators in schools help students and staff travel from floor to floor safely, whether they have disabilities or have broken a bone in their body that makes it unsafe to travel by foot. Within hospital buildings, visitors are of a range of different ages from infants to elderly. Elevators in hospitals help transport patients, visitors, and staff from floor to floor. Patients in hospitals are very vulnerable individuals and may require to be transported via a hospital bed to different rooms throughout the building.   

Tip #1: Stay Up to Date with Elevator Safety Codes and Standards

In Massachusetts, elevators must follow the state’s specific codes and standards.

According to the General Court of Massachusetts Laws, all elevators must meet the following requirements:

  • Installed, inspected, and repaired ONLY by a licensed contractor
  • Pass thoroughly inspected tests more than once a year 
  • Document any potential accidents during an inspection or installation 

While these codes are required for all elevators, it is even more important that schools and hospitals are consistently operating safely and following all Massachusetts standards. 

Tip #2: Have Regular Maintenance Check-Ups

Qualified technicians should perform monthly inspections that inspect all mechanical components of the elevator and then document the part conditions in full detail. When there are regular inspections in place, technicians can catch any potential issues early, before they become a danger to any vulnerable rider. Also, keeping detailed maintenance records over time helps owners, administrators, and other staff make informed decisions about necessary repairs or potential replacements of parts that have exceeded their life expectancy. 

Tip #3: Meet Accessibility Requirements 

A commercial building must provide reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities so they can easily get to their next destination; schools and hospitals will always need to follow ADA requirements. Here are six ways to improve elevator accessibility:

  • Install Braille and tactile buttons to help assist those with visual impairments 
  • Add more space to elevator cabins and widen doors to accommodate wheelchair users, those who have strollers, and those carrying or wheeling large items like hospital beds 
  • Include audible announcements through voice-enabled systems for those with visual, hearing, or cognitive impairments 
  • Implement visual floor indicators for people with hearing impairments
  • Install handrails to support those with mobility challenges
  • Ensure an elevator is well-lit to improve visibility 

Schools and hospitals hold the responsibility of providing safe transportation throughout their building to everyone, but especially those who are vulnerable. Buckley Elevator will ensure that the building in your hospital or school is functioning properly through our different services from maintenance, repair, installation, and modernization.