Special team for lift, escalator safety issues to be set up
KUALA LUMPUR: The Department of Occupational Safety and Health ( Dosh) is in the process of forming a special team to look into incidences and issues of safety of escalators and lifts, said its director- general Datuk Mohtar Musri.
He set the team, which is due to be formed in September this year, would begin its work in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, working with related agencies such as the Fire and Rescue Department, the local authorities and the Ministry of Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government.
“We are contacting the relevant agencies to discuss and get their agreement to work on this task force,” he told reporters after launching a campaign on safe use of lifts and escalators here yesterday.
He said through this team, all the parties involved could discuss ways to prevent and resolve incidents involving lifts and escalators to prevent them recurring.
He added the special team would focus on areas which have many lifts and escalators such as supermarkets, high-rise residences and office blocks.
Mohtar said between 2012 and 2016, 51 cases involving lifts were recorded throughout the country while there were 33 cases involving escalators.
“More than 95 per cent of the cases involved children who had been left on their own on the escalators without the supervision of their parents or any adult.
They should have watched the children who were using the escalators.
“I also urge the owners of the premises or shopping complexes to install additional warning signages as well as give warning announcements to the consumers from time to time,” he said.
He said Dosh was conducting promotions and campaigns on safe use of lifts and escalators to increase public awareness. — Bernama