I work for a law firm which represents the family of a deceased elevator repairman and his co-worker. During the course of maintenance work, the Lever Hoist failed causing the elevator car to crash to the ground injuring one worker and causing the death of the other. The hoist was equipped with a safety link which failed to arrest the slippage of the chain.

Can anyone provide further information and/or suggestions that we can investigate?

-- Kim Graham (kgraham@campchurch.com), December 04, 2000

Answers

If I'm reading your question right, it sounds to me like the accident was the mechanics fault. He should have had more than one restraint on the car. For example.. a strap wrapped around the crosshead and the rail brackets on each side of the car top or an 2 to 4 ton chain hoist if available. Granted the "lever hoist" failed, just five to 15 more minutes of safety precautions would have saved those men. My sympathy to the families involved.

-- (Jamune2000@aol.com), December 18, 2000.

sorry, but a lever hoist is used for horizonal loads only, pulling loads along floors or up small ramps.

-- tom kennedy (tom@valleyelevator.com), January 13, 2002.