Escalator cleaning gone wrong. This is a clip of an escalator accident in china shown on a Channel 5 programme a few weeks back, it highlights the danger of using a “standing on” type of cleaning mat which appears to need the weight of a person to help it clean
This would not pass on our risk assessment as we know the dangers of working on escalators, and I doubt your escalator service company would allow this either – Asking your staff to stand on a cleaning mat which can potentially be driven into and under the comb bearer plate and result in damage to the escalator or even worse an accident involving your cleaning staff, is not something that should ever be carried out.
Like everything in this industry there is a risk when we carry out work duties, we look to either minimise or remove completely any risk whatsoever. Hence why we work closely with the escalator manufactures and have invested heavily in finest and safest escalator cleaning machines available made by Juma in Germany. Our risk assessments have has been created in conjunction with Otis UK, and all of our technicians have Otis AllSafe training accreditation for working on escalators safely, which is checked by Otis on site along with an annual refresher course. Otis AllSafe Certificates available upon request.
Our Juma escalator 600 machine eliminates this risk and will lock into place, it does not need the operator stood over or on the steps as the escalator is moving, taking away the potential of harm from the operator if there is a problem. Let the cleaning machine take the risk with an unforseen problem with the escalator, not your staff.