Elevator safety controls 'overridden' in fatal Alabama hospital accident

Decatur Morgan Hospital employee killed when freight elevator falls on him

By Healthcare Facilities Today


A report released from the Alabama Department of Labor said the freight elevator that killed a Decatur Morgan Hospital employee was “functioning as intended” and had “no violations to report,” according to an article on the Times Daily website.

According to Morgan County Coroner Jeff Chunn, the employee was working on a pump in the elevator shaft with two other men. At one point, the two others left to get supplies and when they came back, they found him trapped beneath the elevator, the article said.

Inspectors said in the report the elevator was blocked off and showed no signs of tampering, according to the article. The report said the mechanism designed to allow safe access to the elevator shaft was overridden. When active, the control would prevent elevator operation while the doors are open.

Because the controls had been overridden, the elevator was able to move, though the report  did not say what could have caused it to descend.

The elevator, which was used exclusively by employees, has been closed since the incident.

Hospital spokeswoman Leigh Hays declined to comment in the article whether the elevator will be reopened after the report.

Read the article.

 

 



November 18, 2013


Topic Area: Safety


Recent Posts

Cyberattack Results in Patient Reroutes at Anne Arundel Medical Center

A recent cyberattack on Luminis Health Care led to care disruptions and treatment cancelations at Maryland hospital.


Tangram Furnishes Be Well OC Irvine Behavioral Health Campus

Case study: Through a public-private partnership, Be Well OC’s 22-acre Irvine campus expands Orange County’s continuum of behavioral healthcare.


Suntree Internal Medicine Reports Data Breach

Suntree Internal Medicine has no evidence of misuse, or attempted misuse, of any potentially affected information.


Why Healthcare Facilities Management Is Critical to Patient Safety 

Hospitals and other healthcare facilities rely on much more than doctors and nurses to keep patients safe.


Sanford Health and North Memorial Health Finalize Partnership

An integration process is underway to create a unified organization.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.