if your elevator cable snaps

[OceanCityGirl]

and goes plummeting downward and you quickly leap up and wrap your arms around an upper rail. The roof above is soft foam with nothing hard under it. At the moment of impact you pull up even more. Will you survive the crash?
Will you be able to turn your death ride into a carnival ride?
Just curious as I rode a scary elevator today and had time to ponder this.

[land_shark3]

Ummm... no.

The correct answer is to lay flat on the floor and spread the force of the impact. It has to do with the physics of gravity and your mass; not to mention your inability to know the precise second of impact.

[12vmanRick]

personally I think you are screwed. The impact is likely to break several bones including your neck and/or back.

[El mojito]

Nope! it's been proven on "Mythbusters"
http://dsc.discovery.com/tvlistings/epi ... hannel=DSC

[LIPH]

My office is on the 34th floor. If the cable snaps, I'm toast.

[myke212]

I suppose that would depend on how many floors the elevator falls. If the fall is enough to kill you if you are just standing on the elevator floor, climbing to the top probably won't do much good. Unless there is an escape hatch you can climb through and then jump on to a ladder or something in the shaft.
I just hope you are never put into a situation where any of this is becomes necessary.

[Sidew13]

Nope! it's been proven on "Mythbusters"
http://dsc.discovery.com/tvlistings/epi ... hannel=DSC

Yep.
MYTHBUSTERS ROCK

[OceanCityGirl]

i bet jack bauer would live

[El mojito]

19, 2001
Be very careful and look onto the elevator pits before entering them. Have the pit cleaned, especially if you see bio-hazardous material.
Be sure to include the decal numbers on your Inspection/Summary Reports.
New equipment or alterations to equipment must have the Equipment Form and the Inspection/Summary; both forms are required for five-year test as well.
As a Qualified Elevator Inspector your first objective is elevator safety. Your duty is to inspect conveyance equipment according to the code, rules, and law adopted by the State of Texas.
"Safety is our First Priority."

The TDLR Bulletins are not enforceable; therefore, do not reference them on the inspection report. Only code violations are to be referenced on the inspection report.

JOBSITE SAFETY

New procedures in Safety - Part 1 - Jumpers

The National Elevator Industry, Inc. (NEII) Safety Committee wants the industry to be aware of major changes in the newest version of the Elevator Industry Field Employees' Safety Handbook, which is revamped and rewritten every five years. One of the areas in which the committee made extensive policy change is in the use of jumpers. Below is Chapter 6 that outlines the changes:

PROPER USE OF JUMPERS

It is recognized the temporary circuit jumpers or clip jumpers may be required for conducting some service work on elevators, escalators, or moving walks. All field personnel shall be trained in the proper use of jumpers for defeating safety circuits. When jumpers are used they shall have the following characteristics:

Extra-long, tied in knots and brightly colored wires or clips.
Jumpers shall be numbered in sequence.
The ends of jumper wires shall be affixed with insulated alligator clips.
Each employee shall have his or her name or personnel number marked in indelible ink on a label permanently attached to each jumper.
Make sure you understand what effect using or removing a jumper will have on the entire elevator or escalator system.
Jumper wires shall never be placed or configured to resemble permanent wiring.
The number of jumpers carried shall be limited so that all jumpers can be accounted for at all times (numbering jumpers in sequence will help). Jumpers shall be removed and accounted for when returning equipment to service.
Equipment shall never be returned to service with jumpers left on. Equipment found in this condition shall be reported to your Elevator Company Superintendent/Manager.
Maintenance and Troubleshooting Rules

Jumpers shall not be used as a diagnostic tool. Always use a meter to troubleshoot circuits.
Temporary bridging (e. g., tomahawk) devices shall only be used to short out hall door contacts when the car is within six feet (1.8 meters) of the floor level.
Do not jump out door and gate at the same time.
Note: You may deviate from this requirement only when a second qualified person is on site and in direct communication.

Extreme Caution when These Circuits are Jumped Out

Ensure that elevator is on inspection prior to placing jumpers on door, gate of safety circuits. Make a visual inspection that all hoistway doors are mechanically closed.
Ensure all jumpers are removed before placing equipment back in service.
Procedures for Jumper Use

Remove elevator from public use and ensure no passengers are in elevator.
Place jumper kit on machine room door handle or other conspicuous place.
Verbally advise all other elevator personnel on the job site when jumper is to be used.
When work is complete, all jumpers shall be removed, counted and returned to the jumper kit.
Never leave jumpers on equipment or in the machine room.
Modernization and New Construction

On modernization and construction, many jumpers are used to operate elevators.

Jumpers shall be brightly colored, easily identifiable and shall be long and conspicuous.
A Jumper Log shall be established to ensure that affected personnel are aware of the safety circuits, which are not functioning. It is the responsibility of the mechanic/mechanic-in-charge to ensure that the Jumper Log is completed. The Jumper Log shall be kept with the controller and shall not be removed until all jumpers are removed.
Door, gate or other safety circuits shall never be jumped out unless car is on inspection in the controller.
Jumpers shall be removed as soon as they are no longer needed; maintenance and troubleshooting procedures outlined above shall be followed.

In addition to the above, stickers shall be placed in the controller cabinet, in close proximity to the inspection/ automatic switches, which read as follows:

DOOR, GATE OR SAFETY CIRCUITS SHALL NEVER BE JUMPED OUT UNLESS CAR IS ON INSPECTION IN THE CONTROLLER.

Before moving car with open doors, verify car is on inspection.

Door Bypass Procedure

Inspection operation with open door circuits (ASME A17.1, Section 2.26.1.5) or (ASME A17.1, Section 210.14) shall only be utilized when it is absolutely necessary to move an elevator when the car gate and/or door lock circuit is electrically open. Prior to utilizing this, steps shall be taken to identify the problem circuit (car gate or door lock) and bypass only that circuit. Once a decision is made to utilize door bypass circuitry, the elevator shall be placed on inspection operation via the car top or the in-car inspection switches or if provided the machine room inspection switch. Once on inspection operation the pertinent switch(es) can be switched to "bypass" position. Then whenever possible, the elevator shall always be operated from the top of the car.
Extreme caution shall be taken prior to and while moving the elevator to ensure the safety of the public and elevator personnel, i.e., unprotected openings, body parts clear of moving equipment, equipment unobstructed, etc. When operating the elevator from the machine room (machine-room inspection), communication to the elevator shall first take place to warn any passengers or elevator personnel of the intended movement of the elevator. A means to communicate, i.e., intercom, phone, etc. is required to be provided by the ASME A17.1 Code.
Once the purpose for using the door bypass circuitry has been met, the switch is to be switched to the "open" position. A thorough check of the car gate/door lock circuitry shall then be performed to ensure proper operation. Once this is confirmed, the elevator shall be placed back on automatic and returned to service.
Source: Elevator World

Ron Steele

[LIPH]

i bet jack bauer would live

and MacGiver

[El mojito]

Founded on safety
Despite these advances, one problem continued to trouble the elevator as it had since ancient times. There was no effective way to prevent the hoist from plummeting to earth if the lifting cable parted. This ever-present danger made elevators a risky proposition.

In 1852, Elisha Otis was working as a master mechanic at the Bedstead Manufacturing Company in Yonkers, New York. He was given the assignment to design a freight elevator to haul the company’s products. Otis was aware of the inherent problem of cable failure and sought a solution that would eliminate the hazard.

He realized that some sort of safety brake was required. The brake had to function automatically the instant the cable broke if it were to save lives and property. Otis experimented by placing a wagon spring above the hoist platform. He then attached a ratchet bar to the guide rails on each side of the hoistway. The lifting rope was fastened to the wagon spring in such a way that the weight of the hoist platform exerted just enough tension on the spring to keep it from touching the ratchet bars. If the cable snapped, however, the tension would be released from the spring and it would immediately engage the ratchets, preventing the platform from falling.

In the meantime, financial problems had forced the Bedstead Company to close its doors. Otis was about to head west to take part in the Gold Rush when an unsolicited order for two of his “safety hoisters” arrived from a furniture manufacturer in New York. It seems two of its employees had been killed when a hoist rope had broken. The company wanted to prevent further tragedies.

On September 20, 1853, Otis opened his own shop in part of the bankrupt Bedstead plant. In order to promote his new venture, Otis decided to stage a dramatic demonstration of his new safety elevator at the Crystal Palace Exposition in New York.

In the main exhibition hall, Otis constructed a complete safety elevator equipped with guide rails, ratchets, spring, platform and hoisting machinery. Otis had the hoist fully loaded with freight. As a crowd gathered, he climbed on board and ordered the platform raised to full height. The hoisting rope was cut with an axe. The crowd gasped. But before the platform could fall, the safety spring locked the lift in place as Otis reassured the startled crowd with the cry, “All safe, gentlemen. All safe.”

From that point on, sales climbed as customers began to associate the Otis Elevator Company with safety.

[12vmanRick]

I'd also like to point out that since not everyone's elevator goes to the top not everyone may be in jeopardy of it falling very far

[sailingagain]

I'd also like to point out that since not everyone's elevator goes to the top not everyone may be in jeopardy of it falling very far

I resemble that remark.

[ragtopW]

I'd also like to point out that since not everyone's elevator goes to the top not everyone may be in jeopardy of it falling very far

[jonesbeach10]

i bet jack bauer would live

and manage to save America three times over.
















And kill off about 150 generic extras for good measure.

[LastWomanStanding]

I'm wondering if you were in the same elevator as I was! I've always wondered if you could survive. The elevator was making horrible creaking noises like it was straining to go up. That could be because there were 4 of us and pretty much all of us could stand to lose a few pounds....

[Sidew13]

I'm wondering if you were in the same elevator as I was! I've always wondered if you could survive. The elevator was making horrible creaking noises like it was straining to go up. That could be because there were 4 of us and pretty much all of us could stand to lose a few pounds....

Now I resemble that remark

[flyboy55]

I don't like the elevators in very tall buildings where your stomach does a flip-flop when they start to drop ( I mean descend).

Back in my wife's college daze, her co-ed dorm was the scene of a tragic accident. Some guys on another floor had made a game out of turning the hallway into a waterslide. The fun lasted until one participant slid a little too far and impacted the elevator doors a little too hard. The doors came off their rails somehow and the unlucky student fell six floors down the shaft to his death. True story.

Personally, if I was in an elevator with a few other folks and it suddenly started its death-plunge, I'd grab the biggest fellow passenger and place them under me prior to impact (Thank You Austin Powers).

[lesphoto]

Breaking bones won't be the cause of death here....

Deceleration trauma-the major organs of the body including the brain would continue moving forward once the skeletal system is stopped. They would compact against their skeletal cage, rebound and strike the back of the skeletal cage. The resulting g-forces would cause multiple small lacerations inside each organ, massive tearing of major blood vessels, profound internal bleeding and death.

The theory of timing a jump to coincide with the impact wouldn't work either. Humans aren't capable of accelerating fast enough with their legs to counteract the terminal velocity of the falling elevator.

That said, there have been survivors of cable breaks in well sealed elevators.
The cushion of air trapped beneath the elevator as it falls compresses, slowing the fall and reducing the g-forces. Can you count on this? Not likely.