Entrapments are rarely dangerous, but they are always stressful. A clear plan keeps the passenger calm and gets them out quickly — and protects you from liability.
The first five minutes
- Talk to the passenger through the car phone or door. Reassure them that help is coming.
- Ask how many people are inside and whether anyone has a medical condition.
- Call your elevator contractor’s 24/7 line and give the building address and car number.
- If anyone is unwell, call 911 as well.
- Never try to open the doors or move the car yourself.
After the rescue
Ask the mechanic for a written explanation of the cause. Recurring door-operator or leveling faults are a sign the equipment needs more than a quick reset.
[rp_bars title=”Most common entrapment causes” suffix=”%”]Door operator faults|41, Power interruptions|22, Controller faults|18, Leveling problems|11, Misuse / overload|8[/rp_bars]
[rp_callout type=”note” title=”Average response times”]Contractors listed on Repairior in major cities report average entrapment response times between 25 and 45 minutes.[/rp_callout]
[rp_businesses category=”elevator-repair” limit=”5″]