The initial rain showers earlier this month, reminded me of an accident that had taken place a few years ago. During the heavy rains, two security guards were trapped inside an elevator of a building in Agripada, Mumbai and unfortunately lost their lives because of water logging.
We are close to the full-fledged rainy season. This is the right time for everyone to take the required precautionary steps within their buildings to protect the elevators in their users from any damage or mishap.
Let us understand the possible reasons for rainwater affecting elevator operations. It can enter the machine room and elevator shaft through the following:
1. Gap between the machine room door panel and the floor at the entrance.
2. Wire mesh in any place on the machine room door.
3. Exhaust fan cut out.
4. Machine room windows.
5. Machine room slab as seepage.
6. Machine room windows - if they are kept open or in case the glass is broken, then the rain water may come inside machine room.
7. Louver glasses are in place.
8. The rain water getting accumulated on the terrace floor can move towards the elevator shaft through the stairs and landing doors.
9. Even from the floors above, the water may flow from the open spaces to elevator landing entrances.
10. Water gets accumulated at the lowermost floor and enters the lift pit. Buildings having a basement need to take extra precautions.
11. Water seepage in the elevator pit needs to be checked.
12. Water seepage around main switch board needs to be checked.
Additional elevator operating safety precautions:
Do not touch the elevator buttons with your wet hand.
Do not enter the elevator cabin if you are completely wet.
Don’t carry a wet umbrella, raincoat, or any other wet body inside the elevator cabin.
Get the earthing connections to all the equipment checked. Particularly the landing call button plates, door panels, door locks, car button plate and cabin.
Check that Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB), Residual Current Circuit Breaker (RCCB) and Miniature Circuit Breaker (MCB) are in working condition.
Keep the water discharge pump ready if you anticipate water accumulation in the elevator pit.
Neglecting these may lead to damage to the equipment or may lead to serious accidents. Even after following all these precautionary safety measures, we may face a situation where everything comes to a standstill because of water accumulation all over Mumbai. But these are exceptional situations and may occur once in a lifetime.
It is advisable to get the elevator checked by your elevator service provider and take the required action before it rains. Your timely alertness can save elevator users from harassment and at the same time can save huge amounts of expenses towards unexpected repair or replacement work.
(The writer is an elevator auditor, founder of the Elevator Safety Forum India, plus an active member of the National Safety Council and Society for Reliability and Safety)
