Debate: Safety switches vs. physical barriers on older elevators

I was working on a 1960s Otis in a building downtown last Tuesday. The car had mechanical door locks but no modern safety edge. A guy on my crew said we should push for a full retrofit with sensors and a physical gate. I argued the old locks have never failed in 50 years and adding too much can cause nuisance stops. The tenant complained about the elevator stopping between floors twice that day. What do you all think - are modern safety edges worth the headaches on these old machines, or do you stick with what worked for decades?

2 comments

2 Comments

rileyellis25d ago

Heard from a buddy who works maintenance in an old hotel. A tenant got their sleeve caught in an antique door and the car dragged them three feet before the old lock kicked in.

jamie_smith25d ago

Three feet doesn't sound that far, but it's crazy how one small thing failing can spiral into something dangerous. Makes you realize how many little safety nets we just trust without thinking.