Back

What to Do if You Are Stuck in a Lift?

The Nibav Team, October 2, 2024

Types of Home Lifts

Introduction

Imagine this: it’s your usual day, you are heading up to your office or simply moving between floors in your home. You step into the lift, the doors close, and suddenly, it stops. The lift is stuck. It is totally natural for anyone to panic in this situation. But being stuck in a lift, especially a modern home lift, doesn’t have to be a distressing experience. By doing the right things, you can quickly be on your way to safety.

1. Remain Calm and Breathe

First things first, try your best to remain calm. It’s normal to feel anxious, but remember that modern lifts, including home lifts, vacuum lifts, and glass lifts, are equipped with numerous safety features. These features are specifically designed to protect you in such unlikely situations. Modern home lifts are equipped with extremely advanced technology to bring the probability of a serious issue close to zero.

Take slow, deep breaths to help calm your nerves. While it is normal to panic, the situation will only seem worse than it actually is when you do so. A home lift is a secure environment, and is designed to keep you safe until the issue is resolved. You should know that getting trapped in lifts is incredibly rare, particularly in home lifts. Their continuous technological improvements make them safer than they have ever been.

2. Evaluate the Situation

Once the initial surge of panic is gone, take a moment to assess the situation. Ask yourself these questions: Did the lift stop abruptly, or did it just pause briefly? Sometimes older lifts may stop momentarily between floors. However, if the lift hasn’t moved for a minute or two, it’s time to take further steps.

In home lifts, their advanced tech often includes safety sensors and automatic controls. They detect obstructions in the path or system for smooth operation. If these systems detect an issue, they will make sure that the lift comes to a safe halt. This halt is a safety measure, ensuring that the lift only moves when it is completely safe.

3. Utilize the Emergency Button

Every lift comes equipped with an emergency button or phone. A feature included for this exact reason—use it. An emergency button in advanced lifts even lets the lift safely descend to the ground floor for a safe exit. But usually the emergency button or phone connects you directly to your lift operator or sends an SOS call to an emergency service for assistance. You should be prepared to give them your exact location, status or answer any of their questions calmly.

If you’re stuck in a home lift, knowing your exact lift type—whether it’s a vacuum lift, glass lift, or another model—can be helpful information for the operator. They can then relay the information to the appropriate team for quick action, and get you out safe and fast.

4. Never Force the Doors Open

You might feel claustrophobic in a stuck lift. This can tempt you to try and force open the doors by yourself. Don’t! This is never advisable. Your tugging with the doors can make the lift move again without warning, putting you at a greater risk. When stuck, the inside of a lift is the safest place you can be, thanks to all the safety features designed to protect you.

In a modern home lift, the doors are specially designed to maximize user safety. They are designed to remain closed until the lift is properly aligned with a floor. This ensures that no dangers can reach you when you are inside the lift. The best course of action is to wait for trained professionals who can handle the situation safely.

5. Use Your Phone Wisely

If you have a mobile phone with you, as one usually does, let people know what’s happened. Call a friend, family member, or colleague and make them aware that you’re stuck in a lift. If you’re in a glass lift, you can also signal people outside by waving or making signs. Making people aware of your situation can make your recovery process a lot faster.

You must conserve your phone’s battery not just in a stuck lift, but in any emergency. Never waste your phone’s charge playing games or browsing social media. Your phone is a crucial tool for communication in this situation, so maintain its charge for when you need it most.

6. Be Patient and Wait for Help

Waiting can be the most difficult yet crucial part. You have done your part in alerting the right authorities and must now remain calm and patient. Although help is on the way, it still needs to reach you and that takes time. You can rest assured that the professionals are working to recover you as soon as possible.

In the meantime, focus on getting comfortable. If there’s somebody else with you, you can get talking to raise your spirits. In a home lift, especially, it’s reassuring to know that your household members are likely to pick up on this and take action to help out too.

7. Understanding Lift Safety Features

Modern lifts, especially those made for homes, are very safe. Home lifts, vacuum lifts, and glass lifts are built with advanced technology that includes fail-safes to protect the passengers. These features make sure you are not in danger even in the unlikely event of a malfunction.

A good example of modern lifts’ safety features is the emergency braking system. When the lift descends too fast or uncontrollably, the emergency braking system engages to stop it. Most modern home lifts now come with power backup systems. This ensures passengers don’t get stuck in the event of a power failure. Even if the backup system cannot bring the lift to the closest level, they help maintain the lift’s basic functionalities. The lights, fans for airflow and in-lift phones will still function. In-home lifts are generally equipped with advanced communication technologies that allow for direct communication to emergency services.

8. Take Preventive Steps Afterward

After you are safely recovered from the lift, reflect on what happened and consider any precautionary measures for the future. Regular maintenance checks are crucial, particularly for home lifts. Ensure that professionals conduct technical inspections on a regular schedule to help prevent any potential issues.

For vacuum lifts and glass lifts, keeping up with maintenance not only ensures safety but also extends their longevity. Although modern lifts are highly reliable, like any other piece of technology, regular care and maintenance can benefit them.

Conclusion

While it’s been established that even the most unlikely instances of emergency can be easily manageable with modern home lifts, choosing a home lift with the best-in-class safety features and multiple fail-safe safety layers can alleviate all your concerns.

Choose a home lift from a trusted home lift manufacturer like Nibav for absolute assurance. Next time you step into a home lift from Nibav, whether it’s a sleek glass lift with a panoramic view or a compact home lift designed for convenience, you can do so knowing that you are in safe hands.