Letter: Keeping Our Children Safe on Escalators

The recent event of a two-year-old child whose fingers were stuck in an escalator comb plate at a shopping mall highlights an ongoing problem that has yet to have a meaningful solution. This is the third reported incident involving escalators this year. Over the past seven years there have been more than 35 reports regarding escalator injuries in Malaysia. Ninety-seven (97) per cent of the victims involved young children and half of the injuries occurred in children aged 2 to 4 years.

The Clinical Research Centre Perak conducted a study on escalator safety among Malaysian children aged under five years in November 2016. Six shopping malls in the Kinta region were randomly selected for this study. Trained researchers observed 258 randomly selected parent-child pairs using escalators and audited their behaviours. A checklist of 15 unsafe behaviours was constructed from accredited escalator guidelines from five different countries including Canada and UK. The study showed that of the 258 parent-child pairs observed, 149 (57.8%) children and 162 (63.8%) parents demonstrated at least one unsafe behaviour when using the escalator. Some had many unsafe behaviours – 26% of parents and 17% of children had three or more unsafe behaviours. Of concern, four of the children used the escalator unattended. The info graphic shows the breakdown of the unsafe child and adult behaviours.

This study clearly illustrates that more than 50% of parents and children used escalators in an unsafe manner. The potential for serious injuries among children continues to be a real possibility. It is important that we create a national awareness programme to educate parents and children on escalator safety.

Suggestions to parents travelling with children for safe escalator use:

• Please use the elevator and not the escalator when you have more than one child or children aged less than 5 years old.
• Always hold your young child’s hand when using the escalator. Adults should hold the handrail.
• Please be extra cautious of your child’s wellbeing/safety on an escalator, and avoid distractions. Do not use a mobile device and focus on your child’s (children’s) behaviour and activity.
• Never use a stroller, baby carriage or trolley on the escalator.
• Please be aware of and avoid loose or dangerous dressing e.g. soft-rubber shoes, long trouser bottoms or long skirts.
• Do not allow your child to play, run or sit on or near the escalator.
• Do not allow your child to face or travel in the opposite direction of the escalator.