The safety of elevators is of great importance as it directly affects human lives. Using elevators that are not properly maintained can lead to serious dangers. Therefore, it is necessary to adhere to the following rules to ensure elevator safety:
1- Cleaning of Elevator Shaft: The elevator shaft must always be kept clean. A potential fire in the shaft could lead to suffocation from smoke for individuals inside the cabin.
2- Installation of Photocells: Photocells should be installed on elevators without inner doors. This is vital to prevent entrapments between the cabin and moving surfaces.
3- Preventing Water Entry: Water must not enter the shaft during building cleaning.
4- Inspection of Hoisting Cables: Hoisting cables should be regularly inspected, and worn-out cables should be replaced without delay.
5- Cabin Door Glass: Wired glass must be used in floor doors. Window glass, frosted glass, or mica should not be used.
6- Rescue Procedure: A door key should not be used to rescue individuals trapped between floors. The elevator’s power should be cut off in the machine room, and the brake lever should be manually operated to move the elevator to the nearest floor with the help of the flywheel. Trapped individuals should be rescued in this manner.
7- Cabin Lighting: Lighting inside the cabin must be on to indicate that the cabin is at a floor level.
8- Emergency Procedures: In elevators without inner doors, in case of any danger, the stop button inside the cabin should be pressed first, and then the emergency button should be pressed to call for help.
9- Emergency Lighting System: The emergency button and emergency lighting system inside the cabin must remain operational even if there is a power outage.
10- Load Balancing: Loads inside the cabin should be placed evenly to prevent shifting or tipping during movement.
11- Fire and Earthquake Situations: Elevators should not be used during fires or earthquakes. Stairs should be used in such situations.
12- Warning Signs: Instructions for use and warning signs should be present inside the cabin and on floors.
13- Empty Spaces Below the Shaft: There should be no usable spaces below the elevator shaft. If such spaces exist, they should be closed off or secured with necessary safety measures.
14- Machine Room Security: The entrance door or cover of the machine room should be kept always locked. In case of danger or maintenance, the key should be easily accessible to authorized personnel or the building manager.
15- Use of the Machine Room: The machine room should not be used to store any materials or items unrelated to the elevator.
16- Ventilation: The machine room must have proper ventilation grilles.
17- Lighting: Lighting in the machine room should be adequate and functional.
18- Maintenance and Rescue Instructions: Maintenance and rescue instructions should be posted in an easily readable location in the machine room.
19- Fire Extinguisher: A fire extinguisher with TSE-approved capacity should be available in the machine room.
20- Overload System: If there is no overload system, one should be installed. If present, it must be operational and appropriate for the elevator’s capacity.
21- Storage Use: The machine room should not be used as a storage area.
Adhering to these rules ensures that elevators are used safely and without issues.
