People Movers Accident & Failure Analysis
By Forensic Engineering Firm, McDowell Owens
Elevators, escalators, moving sidewalks, man lifts – all these mechanical devices are designed to move people from one point to another. Whether traveling from one floor to another or to access things beyond our normal range of reach, people often rely on such mechanical devices to get us there.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that over 17,000 people are injured each year in the United States on elevators and escalators, and each year there are approximately 30 deaths. The injuries range in severity from abrasions and bruises to degloving and complete amputations of appendages.
Elevator & Platform Accident Analysis
The experts at McDowell Owens are able to determine liability in incidents where individuals are in elevators or on platforms that collapse, incidents where workers are struck by counterweights or other moving parts and incidents where individuals are electrocuted. Safety and fall protection equipment can also become an issue, not only for workers in elevator shafts, but also for operators and occupants of man lifts.
Man Lift Accident Analysis
Man lifts pose unique hazards unrelated to elevators and escalators. Man lifts are portable moveable pieces of equipment designed to elevate people vertically, and some have the capability to move horizontally at the same time. Equipment operation can be hazardous, if not done properly or without the proper safety equipment. For example, contact with overhead electrical lines poses the risk of electrocution or the operator could be knocked off the lift from the force of contact with obstructions.
Whatever mechanical device is involved in the incident, the cause is possibly rooted in a complex interaction of physical conditions and human error. The engineers at McDowell Owens analyze the incident and complex contributing factors in order to present a clear and easily understood finding.
For accident or failure analysis of people movers, contact McDowell Owens at (281) 358-2876 or complete our contact form.
