Why are escalators always sealed off when they do not work?

@Asylum (47893)
Manchester, England
October 1, 2015 4:26am CST
Escalators are extremely common these days and we encounter them on a regular basis. Despite being very convenient, they can really cause havoc when they break down because they are often cordoned off, which results in having to go the long way around. I am constantly seeing escalators that do not work, but cannot understand why they have to block access to them. It would certainly be far easier walking up or down them as simple steps rather than walk a decent distance to use another. Surely an escalator is less dangerous when it does not work than it is while it is operating, so this can hardly be a Health and Safety issue.
12 people like this
11 responses
Belle Starr (Iz)
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
1 Oct 15
Forgive me but I am going to do something very unBritish, I am sending a virtual hug. I have been so worried about you. I am so glad to see you back and writing. I think it may be an insurance issue with the escalators at least it would be here.
2 people like this
Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
1 Oct 15
I am delighted to see you here Isabelle. Since Bubblews became so inactive I appear to have lost contact with many friends, although I have encountered a few on other sites so far.
1 person likes this
Anna
@LadyDuck (460403)
• Switzerland
1 Oct 15
I believe that it's for safety reason, I remember the day at the Central Railroad Station in Milan, a "non working" escalator, that was not blocked, moved while plenty of people were climbing up... several were seriously injured.
1 person likes this
Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
16 Oct 15
This could easily be avoided by simply cutting the power until the elevator is repaired.
1 person likes this
Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
16 Oct 15
@LadyDuck Not in England Anna, all children here are well behaved and responsible.
1 person likes this
Anna
@LadyDuck (460403)
• Switzerland
16 Oct 15
@Asylum Even if they cut the power kids go up and down to play and they have to come and tell everybody to get out when they need to re-start the escalator.
sishy7
@sishy7 (27169)
• Australia
1 Oct 15
I don't know... I have walked up and down a stopped escalator before. The only time I remember seeing them sealed off was when there was actually some work being done on or around the escalator.
1 person likes this
Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
1 Oct 15
I have also walked up and down some, usually at the airport. Annoyingly many places have the habit of simply sealing them off, so you have to find an alternative route to go up or down.
2 people like this
Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
1 Oct 15
@yukimori The escalators in the Arndale centre are frequently out of order and often back in service the following day. A structural issue would certainly take much longer to rectify.
2 people like this
Yuki
@yukimori (10143)
• United States
1 Oct 15
@Asylum Unless they're out of order because of some unseen structural issue... that would make sense.
1 person likes this
M.-L.
@MALUSE (69390)
• Germany
1 Oct 15
This is not the case in Germany. In the train station in Stuttgart, for example, the escalator isn't sealed off when it doesn't work. If you like you can use it like a flight of stairs and walk on it.
1 person likes this
Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
16 Oct 15
This is the sensible thing to do, yet many places here insist on blocking them off altogether.
Fleur
@Fleura (29276)
• United Kingdom
1 Oct 15
I don't know, I guess someone could be working on it out of sight and that would be hazardous in case it moved without warning. Sometimes they remove bits and then that would obviously be a safety issue.
1 person likes this
Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
16 Oct 15
Anyone working on it would be clearly visible and sealing while under repair would also be quite understandable.
1 person likes this
Rachel Young
@rachelyoung13 (64)
• United Kingdom
1 Oct 15
They don't always, but I reckon it's probably something to do with health and safety, as they're probably liable if you fall because it's not working, although I could be completely making that up haha
1 person likes this
Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
16 Oct 15
That would not surprise me, yet stairs constitute the same scenario.
rebel_woman06
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
1 Oct 15
Maybe there is a heavier problem on that blocked escalator , than it not being able to be operational , that's why it was blocked .
1 person likes this
Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
16 Oct 15
There is one particular escalator in the Arndale Centre which is often out of service, so this could not be the case on every occasion.
1 person likes this
Arthur Chappell
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
4 Oct 15
Yes a set of escalators that isn't switched on should just be seen as stairs.
Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
4 Oct 15
I am sure that you must have seen the escalators in the Arndale Centre out of operation before now, which are always cordoned off and guarded. This can such a pain at times.
1 person likes this
Arthur Chappell
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
4 Oct 15
@Asylum oh yes, often end up going half way round the mall finding an alternative
Yuki
@yukimori (10143)
• United States
1 Oct 15
I think it has to be the fact that the employees don't want to have to explain to every. single. person who comes through that the escalator isn't working so they have to put forth some effort and walk up it like stairs...
1 person likes this
Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
1 Oct 15
I see escalators out of order quite often in the local Arndale shopping centre, where they always have someone stood on guard as well as cordoning the escalator off. They obviously must have some reason for ensuring that nobody uses the escalator as stairs, although I cannot imagine what that would be.
3 people like this
Pat Z Anthony
@PatZAnthony (14752)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
1 Oct 15
It is odd, isn't it? Maybe we would be in the way of those working on the issue under the escalator?
Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
1 Oct 15
The escalator track is usually removed, or at least in part, when an engineer is working on it.
Kimberley
@mom210 (9041)
• United States
16 Oct 15
Probably because some do do like me will fall down the hold or something.