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JICOSH Home > Case Studies > Case No.87
Case No.87

Cage of cargo elevator falls while work is being carried out in the pit to repair cargo elevator that stopped during its descent
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[Description of the Accident]

This accident occurred during work to repair a warehouse cargo elevator that had stopped.

On the day of the accident, a transport company driver came to the warehouse to pick up some products. He loaded a pushcart with the products on the second floor, and pushed the cart into the elevator to take them to the first floor. He closed the outer door of the elevator, pushed "1F," then used the stairs to go down to the first floor. However, the cage stopped in-between the second and first floors.

As the elevator did not descend despite repeated pushing of the button, the driver contacted the victim (an employee of the warehouse company) who was loading products on the first floor. The victim checked and found that the inner door of the outside of the cage was damaged and had become caught on a joint of the step of the cage.

In order to remove the obstacle, the victim unlock the outer door by inserting his hand from the lattice grill on the first floor, entered the elevator pit, and used an iron bar about 1 meter long to free the damaged door of the cage. Once the door was released, the cage suddenly dropped down the shaft, crushing the victim under the cage.
[Causes supposed]

1. The functions of the safety device had been compromised, such as making it possible to operate the elevator while the door was open by taping the safety switch on the inner door of the cage, deactivating the loose chain detection device and other safety devices.

2. The victim unlocked the outside door without turning the power off while the 1F button was still engaged, and entered the pit from the outside.

3. Regular inspections and inspections before work start were not implemented.

4. Safety and health education concerning the operation of the elevator was not provided.


[Type of business] Wholesaling
[Caused by] Cargo elevator
[Type of accident] Struck by object
[Number of victims] One fatality
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