A lift carrying seven passengers dropped suddenly after it had reached the first floor from the ground floor. Firemen rescued the trapped passengers, who were then sent to hospital. An on-site inspection revealed all four ropes were broken, and the safety protection system did not function to stop the lift as it was designed to. The department has been inspecting all other lifts maintained by Shineford Engineering Limited, to ensure their safe operation.
Chan said the serious incident was the first time in the department’s records that safety protection systems failed. He said the department will step up inspections of lifts whose contractors have low performance ratings, and will launch full inspections if problems are found.
As of noon yesterday, the Department of Electrical & Mechanical Services (EMSD) had inspected 93 lifts Shineford Engineering Limited maintains. Operation of five lifts has been temporarily suspended, pending improvement work. Chan said lifts in Hong Kong are still safe, and the public should not worry.
EMSD will continue to conduct random checks according to the lifts’ age, condition and contractors’ performance, while a full inspection will be carried out on new lifts and those requiring a major overhaul.
Chan said the department will consider reviewing the Registered Lift Contractors’ Performance Rating, an administrative measure used to enforce the Lifts & Escalators Ordinance, in response to recent views expressed by the media and the public.
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