Most elevator shaft accidents are caused by falls. Elevator shafts are deep and narrow, which often leads to permanent injuries. The confined space and long drop also make rescue difficult, which can worsen the long-term effects of injuries such as
- Bruises, scrapes, and lacerations
- Broken bones
- Severe head and brain trauma
- Internal impact injuries
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Fatal injuries
Falls are not the only risk. An open elevator shaft also exposes people to being caught in or between moving parts, being struck by a moving car or counterweight, and being crushed by falling debris or collapsed platforms. Any of these can be fatal. A properly installed and maintained barricade is the first line of defense.
Why Barricades Matter
They protect everyone, not only workers. Passers-by, other trades, cleaners, security staff, and children can all reach an open landing doorway.
- They stop falls before they happen. Once a person is in the shaft, the injury is usually severe, and rescue is difficult.
- They stop objects from falling in. Tools or materials that fall into the shaft can injure workers in the pit or on the car top.
- They keep people away from moving equipment. Open doorways can expose people to the car, the counterweight, and ropes.
- They support legal compliance. Safety rules and site safety plans usually require hoistway openings to be guarded until the landing doors are installed and locked.
- They show a safety culture. Visible, well-kept barricades signal that the site takes safety seriously.
Where and When Barricades Are Needed
- At every landing doorway during new installation and construction.
- During modernization, when landing doors are removed or replaced.
- When a landing door is opened for maintenance or repair and the car is not at that floor.
- When a landing door is damaged, out of service, or not yet mechanically locked.
- Around other hoistway openings, such as inspection openings, equipment openings, and pit access doors.
- Around trap doors or floor openings that lead into the shaft.
- Overnight, at weekends, and during breaks, when no one is watching the opening.
Hazards of an Unprotected Shaft Entrance
- Falls into the shaft: materials, workers, passers-by, and other personnel can fall through an unguarded opening.
- Head injuries: objects can be knocked over or fall from open doorways onto people below or beside them.
- Unauthorized access: an unguarded doorway lets people enter the shaft who should not be there.
- Falling objects: tools, materials, and debris near an open opening can fall into the shaft and strike people below.
- Contact with moving equipment: people at an open doorway can be struck by the car, counterweight, or moving ropes.
- Children and vulnerable people: curious children, visually impaired people, or people who are distracted can walk into an open doorway.
- Poor visibility: dim lighting, dust, and clutter can hide an unguarded opening.
- Rescue difficulty: a person who falls in a deep, narrow shaft may be trapped and hard to reach.
- Legal and financial consequences: serious accidents can lead to injury claims, work stoppages, fines, and reputational damage.
What a Good Barricade Looks Like
A barricade should be:
- Strong: able to withstand the impact of a person leaning or falling against it, as set by your code or company standard.
- Fixed: anchored firmly to the wall or door frame, not simply leaning in place.
- Lockable: secured so that only authorized people can open it.
- Full-height: covering the full opening, with no gaps that a person or object could pass through.
- Visible: painted or marked in a high-visibility color, with a clear danger sign.
- Standardized: the company’s approved design, not an improvised one.
- Undamaged: free of bends, cracks, missing parts, and loose fixings.
- Compatible with the work: designed so that workers can open it safely when needed and close and lock it again right away.
Dos
- Fix barricades properly. Secure a safety barricade firmly to the wall at every landing doorway on every job site to prevent unauthorized access to the shaft.
- Keep barricades locked. Barricades must be rigidly fixed and locked at all times.
- Display a danger sign. Place a danger sign on the front of every barricade.
- Cover the whole entrance. Make sure the shaft entrance is fully covered, and wear all required PPE.
- Keep the area tidy. Maintain good housekeeping in front of the barricades to prevent slips, trips, falls, and falling materials.
- Use the company standard barricade. Always use the approved barricade and follow the company procedure.
- Check before work starts. Before work begins, make sure the barricades at all landings are properly fixed, and record this in the daily job hazard analysis (JHA).
- Inspect barricades regularly. Check them at the start of each shift and after any event that could have damaged them.
- Repair or replace damaged barricades immediately. Do not use a barricade that is bent, cracked, or loose.
- Control the keys. Keep barricade keys or locks with authorized persons only, and know who has them.
- Reclose and lock the barricade right away after you open it to enter the shaft or move materials.
- Use a spotter or a temporary guard when a barricade must stay open for a short time, such as for material handling, and never leave the opening unattended.
- Use fall protection whenever you work within reach of an open edge, even when a barricade is present.
- Keep the barricade clear of people and obstacles so that no one leans on it, climbs on it, or uses it as a support.
- Tell everyone on site where the barricades are, why they are there, and that they must not be moved or removed.
- Use barricade tags or a checklist to show the date of the last inspection and the person who carried it out.
- Barricade other openings too, such as pit access doors, equipment openings, and floor openings that lead to the shaft.
- Install barricades in an orderly way. Fix barricades at every landing before work starts, and remove them only in the correct sequence, as the supervisor directs.
- Provide adequate lighting around barricades so they are visible in all conditions.
- Report any damaged, missing, or removed barricade to your supervisor right away.
- Include barricades in toolbox talks and site induction.
Don’ts
- Never leave a barricade open. Do not leave a barricade open at any time.
- Do not block the opening. Do not stack materials in front of barricades or shaft openings.
- Do not hang anything on barricades. In particular, do not hang electrical wires on them.
- Never use makeshift barricades. Improvised barriers do not protect people.
- Do not remove barricades too soon. Never remove a barricade until the landing doors are installed and mechanically locked.
- Do not enter an occupied shaft. Do not enter the shaft if someone is already working in the hoistway, unless the work is coordinated and protected.
- Do not take shortcuts. Never take shortcuts when working in the shaft.
- Do not use tape, rope, or cones as barricades. These are warnings only, not physical protection.
- Do not lean on, climb on, or sit on barricades.
- Do not tie off to a barricade unless it has been designed and approved as an anchor point.
- Do not remove, move, or bypass a barricade to save time, even for a short task.
- Do not leave tools, materials, or rubbish near the opening where they could fall into the shaft.
- Do not work alone near an open landing unless your procedure allows it and a check-in plan is in place.
- Do not allow unauthorized people to open or move a barricade or to enter the shaft.
- Do not assume a barricade is safe without checking that it is fixed, locked, and undamaged.
- Do not rely on barricades alone. They are one control, and they work together with fall protection, training, and supervision.
- Do not paint over or cover danger signs.
Barricade Inspection Checklist
- Is the barricade the approved company standard?
- Is it fixed firmly to the wall or frame, with no loose fixings?
- Is it undamaged, with no bends, cracks, or gaps?
- Is it locked, and are the keys controlled?
- Is the danger sign in place and clearly visible?
- Is the area in front clear of materials, rubbish, and cables?
- Is lighting adequate?
- Is the inspection recorded in the daily JHA or checklist?
Roles and Responsibilities
Workers
- Check barricades before starting work, and report problems.
- Keep barricades locked, and never remove or bypass them.
- Keep the area in front tidy and clear.
Supervisors and employers
- Provide approved barricades, signs, and locks.
- Train workers, and include barricades in the daily plan.
- Inspect barricades, and take action when problems are reported.
- Control who has keys and who can open barricades.
Building owners and managers
- Make sure contractors use proper barricades during construction and modernization.
- Keep unauthorized people away from work areas and landing doorways.
- Respond promptly to reports of damaged barricades or open doorways.
What to Do After an Accident or Near Miss
- Call emergency services and your supervisor immediately.
- Do not enter the shaft to rescue someone unless you are trained and the hazards are controlled, since falls and moving equipment put rescuers at risk.
- Make sure the lift is isolated so that the car cannot move.
- Keep the area clear and prevent others from approaching the opening.
- Report the incident, and keep the barricade and the scene intact until the investigation allows removal.
- Investigate the cause, such as a missing barricade, a damaged fixing, or a bypassed lock, and fix it.
- Share what was learned with the team.
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