FACT OR FICTION: Elevator Edition
FACT OR FICTION: Elevator Edition
Citywide Elevator Consulting provides world class elevator and escalator solutions unmatched in our industry. We specialize in a full range of services for all types of vertical transportation including new construction and modernization of major hotels, universities, government facilities, commercial and residential buildings, and retail locations. CEC wants you to know the truth when it comes to elevators!
Myth: Elevators are suspended in the air by a few ropes. If one of these ropes were to break, the elevator would come crashing to the ground.
Fact: Elevators are supported by very strong steel cables, not ropes. Each cable is strong enough to hold the weight of a full capacity elevator on its own. Due to the cables an elevator would not fall. There is only one recorded incident in history of an elevator free-fall. The incident happened when a plane hit the Empire State Building in the 1940s.
Myth: If you are in an elevator stuck between floors you should try to escape the car.
Fact: Attempting to escape is the most dangerous thing you can do! Trying to escape can result in serious injury. Escape hatches exist but are designed for rescue professionals only. Most hatches can only be opened from the outside. Never attempt to pry open an elevators door. If you are stuck in between floors, stay calm. Use the emergency phone, trigger the alarm, or call 911 from your cell phone.
Myth: Pushing the call button multiple times will make an elevator arrive quicker.
Fact: Pushing the call button more than once is ineffective. You only need to press the button once for the controller to register your request.
Myth: Pushing the close button will make the doors close faster.
Fact: In 1990 the Americans with Disabilities Act made close buttons virtually useless. The ADA ensures that people with disabilities have enough time to enter the elevator. Closing the doors more quickly can result in injury.
Myth: You can run out of oxygen while being stuck on an elevator.
Fact: Elevators contain vents that help air move freely in and out. There is more than enough oxygen within the elevator car and shaft!