ESW - 26 : Safety Practices for Working on Escalators

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Elevator, Escalator & MovingWalk

Safety Practices for Working on Escalators

1. Before the installation of an escalator, the floor edge along the escalator landings from which a worker is liable to fall more than 2 m should be securely fenced by the erection of suitable guard-rail. The guard-rail should be erected to a height between 900 mm and 1150 mm above the floor. Toe board of not less than 200 mm in height and mid-rail should also be provided. Warning notices to warn against the removal of guard rails should also be provided at prominent positions.
2. During the lifting of an escalator truss or its other part, workers are prohibited to ride on the materials being lifted.
3. Lifting appliances and lifting gears used in the escalator work should be tested, examined and used in accordance with the country / Organisation standards.
4. Prior to carrying out any escalator work, fencing and warning notices should be provided at both landings indicating that there is no access to the escalator. If traffic signs are provided at the escalator, they should be switched to the “NO ENTRY” mode to alert the users of the escalator not to use it so that disturbances to the working personnel during their work would be avoided.
5. Precautions should be taken such that the escalator cannot be set into motion without the consent of the persons performing the work. For example, the main switch of the escalator should be turned off, locked and tagged by the person-in-charge.
6. All the emergency stopping switches, overspeed and other protection devices incorporated in the escalator should be tested of their effectiveness before the work starts. Emergency stop switch should be triggered/ activated before any work is carried out in the machinery space and on the escalator truss.
7. The landing plates of the driving and return stations, if required to be removed, should be stored in a safe location. They should be placed back to cover the void space at the driving and return stations immediately after work is completed or temporarily suspended.
8. Dismantling of steps should be done carefully and in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. All the dismantled parts such as the steps, skirting, etc. should be stacked properly and stored or placed in a safe location.
9. When walking or working on the escalator truss with all or part of its steps removed, extra care should be exercised not to drop into gaps or openings left on in the truss. Excessive grease and lubrication oil left on the truss should be removed to prevent slipping.
10. If one or more steps or step-treads of the escalator are dismantled and a gap/opening is created along the escalator, no one is allowed to operate and run the escalator on his own. Furthermore, if a person needs to ride on this escalator for visual inspection/examination purpose, he should ride behind the gap/opening so created to perform such work and the escalator should be operated under the manual control mode, preferably by a pendent remote control.
11. No working personnel should enter the escalator truss to carry out work such as the installation of balustrade and skirtings, etc. unless the main switch to the escalator has been turned off, locked out and tagged, and the escalator is stationary. Besides, warning notices should be displayed at the main switch indicating that work is in progress at the escalator at that time.
12. Vacuum cleaners should be used to remove the dust/dirts accumulated inside the escalator truss before maintenance or repair work is carried out.
13. When step, step-treads, landing plates, combplates, combplate teeth or trap doors, etc. of an escalator are removed, the escalator should never be run for testing or adjustment, etc. purposes unless the entrances at bothends are securely fenced off and all the workers have left the escalator.
14. Escalator should not be re-started unless all obstructions are removed and coordination with other workers working within the same escalator is made. The operator who handles the switch should be able to see the entire escalator to ensure nobody is working at the escalator before re-starting.