PROGRAM STATEMENT
It is necessary to take action when persons are trapped in an elevator or when a condition exist with an elevator which could lead to personal injury. Whenever possible, it is recommended that any evacuation of passengers from elevator cars be performed under the direct supervision of elevator maintenance personnel, as they have the necessary resources and expertise to deal with the various complex hazards which may arise. 

However, in the event of an emergency, time may be of the essence in evacuating passengers, and waiting for elevator maintenance personnel may be impractical. Under emergency conditions, the passenger evacuation must be performed using these guidelines, and only by TWU personnel who have been trained in elevator evacuation.

TYPES OF EMERGENCIES
A. Person(s) trapped in an elevator.
B. Elevator moving without car doors fully closed.
C. Elevator doors open on any floor without the elevator at that level.
D.Any elevator condition or situation that, if not corrected promptly, could lead to serious injury.

EMERGENCY ACTIONS

NOTIFY THE TWU POLICE DISPATCHER OF THE NATURE OF THE ELEVATOR EMERGENCY

POLICE DEPARTMENT/FACILITIES MANAGEMENT ACTIONS:
1. Dispatch an Officer to the scene.

2. If persons are trapped in an elevator during daytime hours:

a. Contact the Facilities Maintenance and Construction (FMC) and advise,"We have person(s) trapped in an elevator." This will identify the call as an emergency requiring immediate attention. The Police Officer shall provide the building name, specific elevator and number of persons trapped, if known.

b. The FMC contacts the elevator maintenance company responsible for the maintenance of the elevators. This will be done only if the Police Department and FMC fail to evacuate persons from the elevator. After hours, the Power Plant Contacts the elevator maintenance company for emergency evacuation. Advise the company of the situation and request an elevator repair person be immediately dispatched to the scene.

c. The Officer should then communicate with the occupants in the elevator car, and inform them that they are safe and that steps are being taken to evacuate them from the elevator car. In communicating with the occupants, the Officer should determine the number of persons in the elevator and whether any of the occupants are ill or injured. If an injury is reported, the Officer should request that dispatch contact the appropriate medical response personnel. Note the location of the elevator and whether the lights are on in the elevator car. The occupants of the elevator should continually be kept informed and reassured of their safety.

d. The Officer should then coordinate the rescue of the occupants with FMC personnel. The following procedures should be used to evacuate occupants from the elevator WITH CAR AT OR NEAR LANDING:

PROCEDURE
1. Set the mainline "Elevator Emergency Disconnect Switch", for the stalled elevator, in the "off" position. These switches are located in specific mechanical areas, as shown in the "Elevator Emergency Disconnect Switch Manual". The step should be performed by Police Department personnel.

2. Open the elevator doors by hand or using the appropriate elevator key.

3. Request that an elevator occupant set the emergency stop switch within the elevator car, to the "stop" position, if the car is so equipped.

4. Evaluate the distance between the elevator car floor and the buildings landing level. If this distance is greater than (3 feet), do not attempt to remove any occupants from the elevator car. In this situation, it is inadvisable to remove the occupant through the elevator door opening as the excessive distance between the car floor and building landing creates a danger due to the possibility that an occupant may fall into the hoist way. Ask the occupants to remain calm within the car until an elevator maintenance person can arrive and set the car closer to the landing.

5. When the elevator car floor and the building landing is WITHIN 3FT OF LANDING, assist the occupants in leaving the elevator car, one at a time. If the car is not level with the landing, make sure the occupants do not trip or fall while leaving the car. The use of a ladder may be required. The following methods of removing the passengers should be used:

REMOVING PASSENGERS
Opening Doors From Landing or From Inside Elevator Car
A. Set the mainline disconnect switch for the stalled elevator in the “OFF”  position.
B. Unlock the hoistway door at the floor nearest the stalled elevator car by means of the hoistway door unlocking device (elevator door interlock release key), and open the hoisway and car doors by hand. If a hoistway door unlocking device is not available, it may be possible on some installations for a passenger to manually open the car and hoistway doors from within the elevator car.
C.The rescue party should enter the elevator car and place the emergency         stop switch in the “STOP” position.
D. Passengers should be assisted from the car.

Opening Doors From Adjacent Elevator Car
A. Take the adjacent elevator car to the floor closest to the stalled car and open its doors.
B. Set the mainline disconnect switches for both the stalled elevator and the rescue elevator in the “OFF” position. Also place the emerency stop switch of the rescue elevator, in the “STOP” postion.
C. By extending a pole though the opening between the car and hoistway doors of the rescue elevator car, it may be possible to engage the interlock roller of the stalled elevator car so that its doors can be opened by hand. When using this method, be careful not to exstend the pole into the hoistway of any elevator that is still in service.
D. A member of the rescue team should enter the stalled elevator car and set the emergency stop switch to the “OFF” position.
E. The passengers should then be assisted from the stalled elevator, one at a      time, by rescue personnel located both in the car and on the landing. Precautions should be taken to guard against any hoistway opening below the car floor (platform) using and evacuation bridge when the elevator car is above the landing.

Unlocking Doors With Forcible Entry Tool
A. Set the mainline disconnect switch t the “OFF” postion.
B. Open the doors with the use of the forcible entry tool. It should be used at the top of the elevator doors to minimize damage to the exterior doors.
C. The passengers should then be assisted from the stalled elevator, one at a time, by rescue personnel located both in the car and on the landing. Precautions should be taken to guard against any hoistway opening below the car floor (platform) when the elevator car is above the landing.
E. After all occupants have been removed, close the elevator doors and post a temporary "Out of Order" sign on all doors, at all floors for that elevator, until the elevator maintenance repair person arrives.
F. Do not attempt to restore power to the stalled elevator unless there is an iminent health issue which would require emergency medical assistance.   After the rescue has been completed, have a rescue team member stand by to inform the elevator repair person what switches were set and which doors were forced open.

STALLED ELEVETOR/NO PASSENGERS
A. Contact the Office of FMC during daytime business hours or Power Plant during evening hours to advise of the situation. FMC personnel shall call the elevator maintenance company responsible for that specific elevator, and advise the company of the situation, requesting repair service.

B. The Officer shall post a temporary "Out of Order" sign on all doors for that elevator on all floors, until the elevator maintenance repair person arrives.

ROUTINE MAINTENANCE
Routine maintenance deficiencies should be reported to the FMC. This includes such problems as elevator out-of-service, erratic movement, not stopping at exact floor level, lights out, or slow operation. If a problem develops during evening business hours, the TWU Police Department should contact the FMC’s Power Plant, so that the elevator maintenance company can be notified.

ELEVATOR MAINTENANCE CONTRACTORS
FMC will provide the TWU Police Department and the EH&S Office, with a list of campus buildings, the types and number of elevators in each bulding, and the type of equipment necessary for each elevator rescue. The FMC will update this list as necessary. The TWU Police Department will ensure that the police dispatcher has a current copy of this list.

ELEVATOR EMERGENCY TRAINING AND PRIMARY RESCUE CONTACT LIST
At least one TWU Police Officer on each shift shall and designated personnel from FMC will be trained to deal with elevator emergencies, and particularly with the procedures used to rescue trapped elevator occupants. Personnel from the EHS and FMC will receive this same training. All elevator emergency action training will be coordinated through the Facilities Management Office, with all new designated employees receiving training within 30 days.

A primary contact list is established with all FMC rescue trained personnel for rotation in emergency rescue. FMC personnel are not called out afterhours. The contact list is maintained by the FMC.

EQUIPMENT
Prior to attempting any rescue, it is imperative that the rescue team has the proper tools and equipment ready for use. It is equally important that they are trained in the proper use of the tools and equipment. Some other tools and equipment necessary to make a safe rescue are:
1. Short extension ladder
2. collapsible or folding ladder;
3. hoist-way door unlocking device (elevator interlocking release keys)
4. two-way-radios
5. safety belts;
6. lifelines;
7. forcible entry tools;
8. flashlights

All rescue equipment is readily available and maintained by FMC and TWU Police Department for immediate use by all rescuers. Forcible entry tools for FMC are located in key lock box located at the Work Control Office. Key access to the lock box is located with the Coordinator of Facility Services.