The Star Online, 22 February 2013
THERE have been too many cases of lifts plunging a few floors resulting in people being injured.
The latest incident in Lumut ended in a death.
In the last two years, five cases of lifts getting stuck between floors and lifts plunging several floors were reported. The majority of such cases occurred in the Klang Valley.
In all cases passengers were injured, leaving them in shock and fear of using elevators.
We do not know the number of minor unreported accidents though modern technology has made lifts safer.
In the event of a cable snapping and a lift plunging, brakes are activated to stop the lift.
In Japan, after a horrific accident in 2009, a law was passed requiring brakes to be activated when the doors are open, in order to prevent entrapment of passengers between floors.
We should consider reviewing our regulations on lifts.
In 2008 the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP)carried out a survey on the conditions of lifts in low-cost flats in Penang.
Of the 25 lifts inspected, seven were not in working order at the time of inspection. In 22 of them, the lights and control panels were damaged.
Lifts in low-cost flats and apartments were like time bombs waiting for their victims.
Residents complained of being fed-up of calling the lift maintenance companies.
No sooner a lift was repaired than it broke down again within a day or two.
As high-rise buildings are proliferating in our cities, the authorities should install telemonitoring systems to monitor the status of lifts, in real-time, from a centralised monitoring station.
Lift maintenance companies can then be automatically notified of any problems in lifts and even when there is an entrapment of passengers.
This way periodic inspections of lifts can be planned and carried out according to the need and frequency of breakdowns.
Currently, the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) conducts inspections once in 15 months.
CAP urges the authorities to carry out the following:
> Review the regulations on lifts and escalators;
> Install centralised telemonitoring systems in cities with a large number of high-rise buildings;
> Increase the frequency of inspections where necessary;
> Check the quality of parts used in the systems;
> There should be no rent seeking companies for lift maintenance; and
> All lift maintenance technicians should be certified.
SM MOHAMED IDRIS
President, CAP
