Good assessment, I completely agree with you regarding passenger miles traveled in elevators as compared to all forms of transportation. In all probability there were more fatalities during the morning commute into NYC on the day of Susan Harts� death.
Why are elevators the safest form of transportation? It�s engineering along with the personnel that install, adjust, repair and do the maintenance.
Call it a mistake and blame it on an occupied call, time management or boss on your tail? Sorry, don�t buy it. I could almost understand if the route guy got his elevators mixed up, but, and a very large but. First off, didn�t check if the car he was working on was still on automatic. Second, check the lock circuit with a meter or test light and then worst of all, go ahead and jumper BOTH the locks and gate switch. Just how long could the first two parts take? A minute tops. The last and fatal act is not and never has been an option for trouble shooting. It�s just not done at least during the 40 years I was in the business. I would have been fired on the spot or would fire anyone working for me that took out both the gate switch and the locks on a car that was not under complete control. (I will post a story that happened in Seattle with a much better ending)
It�s a sad story, sad for Susan Harts family, sad for our industry and not to mention poor route guy that has to carry this rest of his life.
