There are nearly 70,000 elevators in New York City alone. The Department of Buildings is-ostensibly-in charge of overseeing the safety of all of those elevators. Unfortunately, as one spat of inspections recently discovered, many of those elevators aren’t in proper working order. Many are still in operation even though their inspection logs aren’t up to date, known issues haven’t been repaired, and-in some cases-inspectors have been forging documents in order to maintain certification.
A new regulation just went into effect in January of this year and was created to minimize the risk of a certain type of elevator accident in New York City that has claimed the lives of several people and the past few years and left others with serious injuries.
The Department of Buildings created the new Elevator Door Lock Monitoring regulation in response to a number of instances where elevator cars began to move before passengers had the opportunity to get safely in or out of the cars. These types of malfunctions have resulted in several horrible deaths and at least one amputation in the last 10 years.
While the new regulation really just reinforces existing rules, the agency hopes new emphasis and increased inspections city-wide will eventually reduce the risk of accidents. Essentially, the regulation mandates that all elevators (excluding those few that are still manually operated) must be equipped with a safety system that prevents the car from moving in the event that the door contact circuits are faulty.
The regulation is retroactive-meaning that all effected elevators must be in compliance. Building owners are responsible for purchasing the necessary equipment and having said equipment installed by a certified elevator mechanic. Some groups estimate that number is as high as 44,000.
If you have been injured by a malfunctioning elevator in New York City, contact the experienced New York City elevator accident lawyers for the compensation you deserve. Call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel at 800-734-9338 or 212-385-1122 for your free consultation right now.