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We tend to live our daily lives on autopilot, assuming that the world’s infrastructure and technologies that previously worked as intended will continue to do so. But sometimes the danger lurks around the corner, hidden in plain sight. A recent warning from the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) revealed that even some of the elevators we take to and from our apartments and offices could be seconds away from untold carnage. Read on to find out what you need to watch out for to avoid becoming an elevator victim.
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In late July, the CPSC re-announced its 2018 recall of Waupaca elevators, warning consumers not to enter or ride them as they could fall unexpectedly. If you see a plaque that says “Waupaca Elevator Co.” with a weight capacity of 450 or 500 pounds, you should take the stairs instead.
These models were installed nationwide between 1979 and 2008. The 450-lb. capacity elevators have serial numbers 10-1001 through 10-3131. The 500-lb. capacity elevators have serial numbers 10-3132 through 10-8111; 010-00-8112 to 010-10-8786; and from 110-00-1000 to 110-03-1179.
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Due to a fault in the gearbox, Waupaca elevators can suddenly fall to the bottom of the shaft. The company has received 15 elevator crash reports, including three after the initial 2018 recall.
The problem can and has resulted in many injuries, including sprained knees and ankles, broken bones and even death. Delores bracken, a victim from Holden Beach, North Carolina, remembers the morning she fell from three stories in her own home. As she told WECT 6 News, she looked at the lead and “saw the bone stick out” from her leg.
In a tragic incident in 2018, a passenger in a Waupaca elevator in Millbrae, Calif., Died.
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As part of the recall, Waupaca is offering consumers free inspections and repair facilities with overspeed safety devices as needed. Unfortunately, the elevator company and its dealers are reportedly struggling with an installation delay. It could take years to get all of their elevators back to good working order. “Until an overspeed safety device is installed, all elevators must be taken out of service,” says the CPSC.
In the meantime, consumers can contact Waupaca toll-free at 833-850-7981 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or by emailing [email protected]. Any incident with the recalled elevators should be reported directly to the CPSC on SaferProducts.gov or via its hotline at 800-638-2772.
According to data from the United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics and the CPSC, elevators kill approximately 30 people in the United States each year. About half of these fatal incidents involve workers performing cleaning, maintenance or repairs on or around elevator shafts.
While this can offer a bit of comfort to the average passenger, you should still exercise caution. The same data also shows that elevators and escalators seriously injure more than 17,000 people each year in the United States.
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