Evacuation procedures when lift breaks down in public places — Scope | Disability forum

Evacuation procedures when lift breaks down in public places

ouida
ouida Member Posts: 6 Connected
edited February 2019 in Disability rights and campaigning
in the event of a lift breaking down in a public place whilst the disabled person is in the building, who should be contacted to get the necessary help to get out of the building? 
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  • thespiceman
    thespiceman Member Posts: 6,389 Disability Gamechanger
    Hello @ouida Pleased to meet you welcome.

    Thank you for joining and sharing.

    I am one of the team of community champions who help and advise new members who join.

    In response to your question there should I believe be emergency procedures inside the lift what happens when it breaks down.

    Usually a sign explaining plus a cubby hole which you open and a telephone to get help and support.

    Before using the lift ask any member of the staff what is the procedures. Should be able to tell you and be displayed.

    Please can I ask have you experiencing problems using a lift?

    Take care.

    @thespiceman
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  • ouida
    ouida Member Posts: 6 Connected
    Hi, my disabled son and I went to the rotunda Kingston, to enjoy some bowling. 
    After, when we went to go in the lift the manager said it broke whilst we were there. 
    They said it cannot be fixed that day. I called ambulance and fire brigade services. Neither could help. I asked the manager if we could use the goods lift as it was an emergency. We had used it before when the same lift was out oforder. But that was when we used cinema in same  complex. She said it was against company policy to use the goods lift. The only offer she had was for my CP child to be be taken out of his chair and put in an evacuation Chair  used for people who are not disabled. Then the staff would have to carry him in that chair two flights of stairs! I was dead against that idea as it was a huge risk to my son and to the staff to do this. 
    Thank God after two hours another manager came and said they will try and get authorization to use the goods lift. Thank God we were able to get out this way. A very scary and worrying experience. It’s put us off going there again. It’s such a shame as my son loves going there. 
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  • Pippa_Alumni
    Pippa_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,793 Disability Gamechanger
    edited February 2019
    Goodness, I'm sorry to hear about your son's experience @ouida.

    My suggestion would have been speaking with the manager which you did, and I'm so sorry they weren't more accommodating. As you say, there should be a procedure in place and staff should be aware of this.

    Perhaps some of our members will have some other suggestions but if you wanted to take things further, perhaps you could write to somebody higher up in the company and make them aware of the issue?
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