The long-persisted concerns over the elevators on campus and their safety have continued to rise, especially with the recent malfunctioning incidents of the elevators at Ewha Campus Complex (ECC) and Science Building D. Students have raised complaints regarding the elevators’ construction and maintenance, criticizing how their safety remains uncertain despite the frequent inspections that hinder students’ ability to utilize the elevators.
A survey conducted by Ewha Voice on 41 Ewha students from Oct. 23 to Nov. 1 revealed that 90.2 percent of respondents have experienced inconveniences due to either the frequent malfunctions or lengthy maintenance periods of the elevators on campus, especially ECC. 82.9 percent of respondents also revealed that they have had worries about their safety when taking the on-campus elevators. The subject of safety regarding the elevators on campus has undeniably been doubted, and the recent malfunctioning incidents at ECC on Sept. 25 and Science Building D on Sept. 22 and Oct. 4 deepen fear over possible accidents in the future.
The Safety Team of Facilities Management provided information on the elevator accidents and the construction and maintenance processes of the elevators on campus.
A comprehensive maintenance company conducts monthly inspections, while legal inspections are conducted annually. According to the Safety Team, elevators are to be fully replaced every 21 years. Therefore, since the elevators at ECC were installed in 2008, they are originally scheduled to be replaced in 2029. However, the three elevators located in the glass tower of ECC accommodate more people than other elevators due to high foot traffic. Because of the greenhouse effect from it being located inside a glass tower, the elevators seem to have more complications than usual.
“We are currently reviewing the issue and going over the possibility of an earlier replacement of the three elevators at ECC,” the Safety Team revealed.
Students have also complained about the express system of the elevators at ECC, where each of the elevators has different designated floors that they only stop on. This system has raised many complaints since oftentimes one or two elevators out of the three that travel to the first floor of ECC are under construction or maintenance. According to the Safety Team, the express system was implemented in 2019 in an attempt to efficiently divide usage and avoid one specific elevator being overused. However, with only one or two elevators functioning, the express system proved to deter students from being able to get to their destinations even faster.
Choi Yeju, a freshman from the Division of International Studies, expressed her concerns regarding her experience with the ECC elevators.
“Some only stop at certain floors and others are being repaired most of the time,” Choi said. “In fact, I have never seen all of the ECC elevators fully functioning this whole semester.”
Choi also mentioned how the stories she hears about elevator malfunctions on campus make it quite scary whenever she gets on the school elevators. Like many other students, she has experienced strange noises or sudden jerks while being on the elevators on campus.
Elevators have several layers of safety protection devices and are also highly sensitive, making them prone to sudden halts even for the smallest detections of danger.
“Foreign objects, including those as small as hair strands, could cause elevators to stop if they are stuck in between the machinery,” the Safety Team said.
They continued to explain that even if students get stuck in a malfunctioning elevator, they must not try to escape by themselves. It is safest to wait for help to arrive so that professionals can check the level of the elevator and the nearest floor and safely evacuate everyone.
Despite the partial inevitability of the current problems associated with the on-campus elevators, the student body feels the need for a heightened sense of responsibility on the school’s part regarding the safety of their students.