Elevators installed with more than 4 inches of “gap space” between the hoistway doors and the elevator car doors can pose a serious safety risk. Children may become entraped in the space and could be seriously injured or killed.
This risk can be reduced with the proper installation of space guards at each floor.
Understanding the Parts of Your Elevator
- Elevator car door or gate: the door on the elevator cab; commonly an accordion door or a scissor gate.
- Hoistway door: the exterior door that leads from the hallway to the elevator car.
- Gap space: the space between the elevator car door and the hoistway door.
Other Important Safety Guidelines
- Children are naturally curious and should never be in or around the elevator or machine room with out proper supervision
- Guests who have not been properly trained in the use and safety procedures of the elevator should never use it
- If you loan or rent your home out you should lock out the elevator to avoid any possibility of an injury or death with the elevator
- Elevator machine rooms should have a self-closing self-locking door and should never be used for any storage