Escalators are highly regulated and designed with many safety features that protect passengers, if not treated with respect and caution, they can be very dangerous. Children and older adults are particularly vulnerable to escalator accidents.
SAFETY TIPS
To keep your child safe on and around escalators, teach your kids some basic escalator safety tips.
1. Supervise your child
Never let your children ride on or play with the handrail.
Don’t allow your children to walk or run up the “down” escalator or down the “up” escalator.
Don’t allow your children to play with the escalator emergency buttons. Elevator sudden stop may cause the passengers to fall.
2. Don’t allow your child to wear Rubber Shoes
Children wearing footwear such as Crocs or soft pliable shoes such as flip-flops are especially at risk of being caught in escalator.
The softness of the shoe’s material combined with the smaller size of children’s feet makes this sort of accident especially common.
3. Do the following when riding an Escalator
- Keep your child in the middle of the step, away from the edges of the escalator. Hold the handrail with one hand and your child’s hand with the other.
- Help your child step onto and off of the escalator.
- Make sure shoes are tied before getting on the escalator.
- Tuck away any loose clothing like abayas or dangling accessories.
- Do not bring your child onto escalators in strollers, walkers, or carts. Use the elevator instead.
4. Learn where the Emergency Shut-off Button is
Learn where the emergency shutoff buttons are in case you need to stop the escalator.
They are usually red-colored and located at the top and bottom of the escalators.
5. Educate your child on the Safe use of Escalator
As your child gets older, teaching him to use the escalator safely is an effective way to prevent injuries and emergencies.
