Incidents involving elevators and escalators kill about 30 and seriously injure about 17,100 people each year in the United States, according to data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The two major causes of death are falls and being caught in/between moving parts of elevators/escalators. The potential causes of these injuries include unsafe design, manufacture or installation of the elevator or escalator, improper maintenance and/or a failure to properly warn of the dangers of riding on escalators or elevators.
Injuries to people working on or near elevators – including those installing, repairing and maintaining elevators and working in or near elevator shafts – account for 14-15 (almost half) of the deaths. In addition to endangering people working on or near them, elevators and escalators are potential sources of injuries and deaths for people using them as passengers. Children and the elderly are particularly at risk for being injured on escalators or elevators.
For instance, many people are unaware that the moving steps on escalators can catch or grab their foot and pull them into the machinery, causing serious injuries or even death. Therefore, it is important to keep your, and your children’s, feet away from the sides of the escalator, and from touching the step riser immediately in front of them.
Our attorneys have assisted a number of clients who have been seriously injured by escalators and elevators.
For more information if you, or a loved one, have been injured by an escalator or elevator, and a free consultation with our experienced and professional staff, call Walker Law Office, P.A. at (612) 821-0094, (214) 550-3333 or email walker@walkerjustice.com.