LATEST NEWS

The Massachusetts Department of Public Safety has announced that the next Quarterly Elevator Task Force meeting will take place on March 17 at 10:00 a.m. at the Tewksbury State Hospital, Saunders Building, Events Room (across from the cafeteria) at 365 East Street, Tewksbury, Massachusetts. Important policy and procedure changes will be discussed. For more information, contact the department at phone: (978) 851-9813 or fax: (978) 858-0869.

ELEVATOR WORLD has announced that David Devera Aman of KONE Elevators & Escalators in Ad Doha, Qatar, is the latest winner of its Jobsite Safety Awareness Contest. He identified the safety errors in the photograph on EW's Elevator Industry Jobsite Safety website. The errors in the "What's Wrong with this Picture?" included unguarded light, stored energy, missing toe guard, material stored near hoistway, sharp edges and housekeeping/tripping hazards. A new contest photo is now posted on the contest website (http://safety.elevator-world.com/safety_contest.htm). The picture will be posted for two weeks. One entrant who correctly identifies the safety violations in the photo will be selected to win. The winner will have the option of receiving a one-year subscription to the digital ELEVATOR WORLD magazine (or a one-year extension for those already subscribing) or a US$10 gift coupon to the EW Online Bookstore.

Ten people were injured in an elevator that “collapsed” at a Sofia, Bulgaria, maternity home on March 2, according to the Sofia News Agency. The incident was reportedly caused by a defective supporting cable that “snapped,” causing the elevator to fall several floors and become wedged in the shaft. Twelve passengers were involved. Though none were seriously injured, 10 were sent to nearby hospitals. The elevators in the building had been due for repair, and a technical recommendation for their replacement had been written.