Elevator Safety Lessons For Children
Parents teach their kids important lessons about safety every day—but do your children know how to stay safe in an elevator? Modern elevators are relatively safe with proper installation, maintenance, and regular service, but children can still suffer injuries without proper supervision. The following best practices can help parents keep their kids safe during elevator rides.
Teach Your Kids Proper Elevator Etiquette
Most adults know that you should always let people off an elevator when it arrives at your stop before you embark. Make sure your kids know this golden rule of riding elevators; that way, they won’t be so excited as to try and rush into an elevator as soon as the doors open. This can cause injuries from colliding with people exiting the elevator but also could prevent accidents from happening when the doors open; the gaps between elevator doors as well as possible uneven floor heights can be hazards for small children.
Don’t Press Random Buttons
A child gleefully tapping away at an elevator panel’s buttons does much more than frustrate passengers waiting for a car to arrive at their floor. It can also potentially disrupt proper operations or set off a false alarm. Many modern elevators have emergency buttons on their panels, and a child pushing random buttons could trip an elevator’s security measures.
How to Enter and Exit Elevators Safely
Parents must teach kids to watch their step so nothing catches in the gap between the elevator doors or the crevice in the floor. Encouraging kids to stay mindful of loose clothing and shoe laces can help prevent elevator-related injuries.
Keep Hands Off Elevator Doors
Make sure your kids know to never touch an elevator’s doors as they open and close. If a child keeps a hand on an elevator door as it slides open, the child’s hand could become stuck between the panels and sustain injuries. Additionally, parents should teach their kids to never try and open or close elevator doors with their hands or stop elevator doors from closing by standing in the gap as the door closes. Although modern elevator doors are equipped with motion sensors, these devices may fail to detect a smaller child and close, potentially causing injury.
Set a Good Example
Your kids look to you to learn how to behave in various situations. One of the best things any parent can do to encourage safe elevator habits is to practice good habits themselves. Lead by example and always look for teachable moments that could help a child stay safe in elevators in the future.
While modern safety features have advanced tremendously in recent years, no parent should assume that any elevator is entirely safe, and parents should encourage children to use them with caution for every ride.
Elevator Safety Standards
Liberty Elevator is commited to elevator safety, from installation through the end of the elevator life cycle. As one of the top elevator companies in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania & Florida, Liberty Elevator understands that customer safety is our #1 priority. Whether providing an elevator maintenance program, installing nonproprietary equipment, or providing a flexible agreement, Liberty Elevator provides knowledgeable recommendations for all models and vintages of elevator equipment.
For more information about elevator safety features and tips to protect your guests, contact Liberty Elevator today.