Elevator and Escalator Tips for Facility Managers Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic

• Clean and disinfect all elevator buttons and other frequently touched surfaces periodically throughout the day.
• Post signage letting riders know that all high-touch surfaces are being cleaned on a regular basis to help keep them safe.
• Post signage asking riders to avoid overcrowded elevators and to practice physical distancing.
• Provide sanitizing wipes and/or hand sanitizer near elevators and escalators.
• Stay safe in your home, workplace and in commercial environments by following these valuable tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• Stagger arrivals, departures and break times for workers or tenants to manage the number of people needing the elevators and/or escalators at the same time.
• Place queuing marks in elevator lobbies and near escalators to reinforce physical distancing intervals of six feet. 
• Consider using stanchions, floor decals, etc. to control elevator and/or escalator traffic. 
• Place decals on the elevator floor to identify where passengers should stand. 
• Encourage the use of stairs to help manage overcrowding in elevators and elevator lobbies where feasible. Clean and disinfect stairwells and handrails in response to increased stair traffic. 
• In elevator cars with minimum dimensions of less than 60 inches by 78 inches, two people can stand in opposing corners.
• In elevator cars with dimensions greater than 60 inches by 78 inches (standard 300# cars and larger), three people can practice social distancing.
• In elevator cars with dimensions greater than 72 inches by 72 inches (large service cars), four people - one in each corner - can practice social distancing.
  • Note: elevator cars with a minimum of 6 foot width and depth will meet the intent of the CDC guidelines. 

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About NEII

NEII is the premier trade association representing the global leaders in the building transportation industry. Its members install, maintain, and/or manufacture elevators, escalators, moving walks, and other building transportation products. NEII‘s membership includes the six major international companies – Fujitec America, Inc., KONE, Inc., Mitsubishi Electric US, Inc., Otis Elevator Company, Schindler Elevator Corporation, Thyssenkrupp Elevator Company and several other companies across the country. Collectively, the NEII members represent approximately eighty percent of the total hours worked within the elevator and escalator industry, employ more than 25,000 people in the U.S. and indirectly support hundreds of thousands of American jobs in affiliate industries. 

For more information about NEII, please visit www.neii.org.