Hurricane Season Guidelines for Elevators

MORRISTOWN, NJ, April 3, 2023 – During a season in which weather can be potentially hazardous, it’s important that building and facility managers take the proper precautions to help prevent elevator damage and protect the safety of building occupants. Schindler Elevator Corporation offers the following tips to consider before, during and after weather-related events. Customers should contact their elevator service provider for implementation of these and other safety measures.

Ongoing Preparations

"The elevator machine room is a central area of vulnerability during severe weather, with electrical panels at risk for taking in water," says Jakub Glowacki, Director of Repair for Schindler Elevator Corporation. Before hurricanes or heavy rain arrives, several preventative measures are available to safeguard equipment:

• Inspect the elevator machine room’s ventilation openings, windows, and doors for possible rain leakage
• Install a Liquid Intrusion Detection system (LID) that will intelligently move the elevator to a pre-determined floor to protect both the elevator and the counterweight from being immersed in liquid and potentially suffering irreparable damage
• Install metal splash guards around ventilation openings to prevent leakage from reaching electrical panels
• If any machine room doors open to the outdoors, be sure to add weather stripping around them
• Leverage closed-loop maintenance technology like Schindler Ahead to help enable remote maintenance and upgrades where possible and ensure equipment is monitored 24/7. Make certain that the designated security area has an updated diagram showing the location of your elevators, car numbers, and the elevator car phone number.
• Post elevator company’s emergency phone number, along with any required numerical designations, in an accessible place

The Approaching Storm

Best practice is to refrain from using an elevator during an intense weather event as water can disable elevators and lead to entrapments. When it becomes apparent that a storm will reach your area, carry out the following immediate steps:

• Close all vents and openings at the top of the hoist way to prevent water from entering the elevator shaft
• If buildings have enclosed elevators, run each car to the center of the building, or to the top floor for two-story buildings. Elevators exposed to the outdoors should always be run to the floor below the top.
• Once cars are parked appropriately, shut the elevator down with the keyed switch and close the doors to prevent unauthorized personnel from using the equipment
• Place the mainline disconnect in the "off" position to completely remove power from the elevator. Follow proper lock out / tag out (LOTO) procedures.

"Ensure you are familiar with your equipment’s emergency systems in the event that you must exit passengers quickly," added Glowacki. "If you are uncertain about how to proceed at any point, your elevator service provider can help."

Preparing for power issues is equally critical in the event of storms. Check your power systems for the following:

• An elevator surge protection system that limits voltage from transient events, helping to prevent elevator down time and costly damage to elevator components
• An automatic anti-entrapment system that detects loss of power and cancels any elevator floor calls. Then, using standby battery power, safely lowers or raises the elevator to the closest landing and opens the car door.
• Emergency power generation system backup or an emergency return system for hydraulic, machine room-less, or traction elevators
• Operable emergency lighting and elevator communications