Urban centers are undergoing cultural shifts. More people prefer to shop in multistory shopping complexes and live in high-rise building apartments.

With the widespread construction of high-risers (shopping malls, apartment complexes), the use of elevators in buildings has increased considerably.

But with this, lift-related accidents have also spiked up in recent years. Power outage is one of the major issues causing the lifts to stop midway and passengers becoming trapped inside.

Here are some recent events in the country where people’s lives were at risk due to elevator failures.

The incidents of power failure, absence of power backup systems, and malfunctioning generators have become an everyday occurrence in the country. In 2019, lift-related accidents caused 28 deaths. And in 2021, 39 reported and countless unreported lift-related accidents jeopardized the passengers’ lives. It won’t be wide of the mark to say that when it comes to using lifts, passenger safety poses a big question mark!

India does not have a uniform safety lift act that can ensure maximum safety for the occupants. The government needs strict laws and policies that control how lifts are designed, constructed, and installed.

Individual state governments are taking action to make new laws and amend the existing ones to enhance people’s safety.

Recently, the Haryana government amended their “Haryana Lifts and Escalators Act, 2008,” requiring the owners of multistory buildings to install ERD (Emergency Rescue Device) in their lifts.This change should be appraised as a big step in ensuring public safety, especially when other states are still lagging.

What is an Emergency Rescue Device?

An Emergency Rescue Device (ERD) is a power backup device that powers the lift with a three-phase power supply during power outages. It is superior to the decades-old ARD (Automatic Rescue Device) technology that lacks the facility of power backup. With ARD, the lift stops and hangs in the middle of nowhere when the grid power stops.

With ERD, lift-car occupants cannot sense the power failure. The lift continues to operate smoothly without a slight jerk and takes you to your desired floor instead of stopping at any nearest floor

Some highlighting features or ERD technology include:

Parting remarks

ERD is a game-changer technology. With an ERD device fitted in the lift, there is no chance for the passengers to become stranded in the lift. It can potentially eliminate all the chances of accidents involving power outages and lift failures. It is high time that all other states follow the footsteps of the Haryana state, mandating the use of ERD in all the lifts in their states.

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