Tricks of the Trade 2/6

Welcome to this week's Tricks of the Trade by Aimee at The Mommy Trade.  This week's topic is escalator safety.

Can you guess what the that image is to the left?

I’m sure you figured it out at first glance right? Can’t you see what it is? It’s a chewed up pink crock that was last worn by a young lady going up an escalator. Scary huh? Thankfully that wasn’t my shoe or anyone I know but I do have a shoe (somewhere) with the a whole in the top of it. There is enough missing from my shoe for my toes to stick out when I put it on! Like the gal that last wore that pink crock, I got my shoe stuck in an escalator when I was in Jr. High and I am VERY luck that I didn’t loose any toes and that I too was wearing a shoe I could rip easily!

Ever since I got my shoe caught I get the willies when I go on an escalator and I’m VERY cautious about my foot placement now. My oldest, Joy-joy, has recently discovered escalators and now I REALLY get anxious when we go on them with her! She’s so young and doesn’t pay attention sometimes and I’m worried that she could loose a shoe like me – or worse!

So how in the world did I get my foot stuck? Good question – I was simply going up the escalator and had my foot pressed against the front of the next step up. Then when the steps came together at the top I didn’t move my foot quickly enough and the toes of my shoe got stuck between the two steps! Like I said before, I’m thankfully I had a cheap pair of shoes on that could rip easily but it was SOO scary! If I hadn’t pulled my toes back I would have certainly lost part of them!

And I will say this about when I got my foot stuck – IT WAS MY FAULT! I was careless and wasn’t paying attention! The escalator didn’t reach out and grab my shoe – I just wasn’t thinking and it was my fault!

The picture of the pink crock is of a shoe that my dad took out of an escalator last week – he’s a repairman for them and he has told me plenty of stories of people who have been injured and/or killed by them. Even the repairmen, who understand how they work and know their deadly power, have been killed by them.

So with the image of that shoe and my incident fresh in my mind I thought I would share with you some tips on how to avoid loosing anything on an escaltor. But before I give you the “official” list let me say this – USE COMMON SENSE and PAY ATTENTION! We all drift off into our own thoughts when we ride escalators but we really have to pay attention when we use them and we HAVE to teach our kids how dangerous they can be!

Safety Tips & Rules

Before entering escalators:

- No hand trucks or hand carts.
- No freight.
- No wheelchairs, strollers or baby buggies.
- No walkers or wheeled vehicles.
- No loose clothing – clogs, flip flops, soft-soled shoes or scarves.
- Be careful when carrying hanging clothes.
- No running or walking – stand still.
- Don’t ride barefoot or with loose shoelaces.
- Parents supervise the conduct and activity of your children.
- Use emergency button in emergency situations only.

When entering escalators:

- Watch the direction of the moving step.
- Step on and off with extra care. Take care if you are wearing bifocals.
- Hold children or small packages firmly in one hand
- Grasp the handrail as you step promptly onto the moving step.
- Keep loose clothing clear of steps and sides.

When riding escalators:

- Stand toward the middle of the step away from the sides and face forward. Don’t lean against the sides.
- Don’t allow children to sit on steps.
- Do not sit umbrellas on steps.
- Keep a firm grip on the handrail. Reposition your hand slowly if the handrail moves ahead or behind    the steps. Escalators may stop for safety precautions.
- Don’t rest your handbag or parcels or any other objects on the handrail or steps or anywhere. Keep objects in hands at all times.
- Pay attention. Don’t window-shop while riding.

When exiting escalators:

- Don’t hesitate.
- Step off promptly
- Immediately move clear of the escalator exit area; don’t stop to talk or look around. Other passengers may be behind you.

If you’d really like to learn more there is an interactive online course HERE on Escalator, Elevator and moving sidewalk safety. Click on the links to the right starting with “Introduction”.

(Information gathered from HERE)