Elevator Safety in the Interior Complex

Whenever we hear of an elevator incident in our community, there is cause to reflect on safety issues in general and elevator safety in particular.

Please review the procedures below which outline the proper steps to take in the event you become entrapped in an elevator.

1. First (and, most importantly), try to remain calm.
2. Do not attempt to pry the doors open and/or exit the elevator cab. Though being entrapped on an elevator is unnerving, it is much safer to remain in the cab and wait for emergency-response personnel to respond.
3. Most of our elevators in our buildings have a telephone built into the control panel that is activated when you push the button that has a telephone symbol on it.  Do not use the red telephones which are located in the passenger elevators for Wings 3 thru 6 (numbers 1 – 14) in the Stewart Lee Udall Department of the Interior Building; these are only for use by firemen during an emergency and are not manned except by the Fire Department.
4. For the passenger elevators in Wing 1 (numbers 15 – 20) in the Stewart Lee Udall Department of the Interior Building, use the telephone in the elevator cab to contact emergency-response personnel in the order shown below. The instructions and telephone numbers are posted in each elevator cab above the telephone.
   
   In the rare event that the telephone does not work, press the button located on the elevator control panel to sound the alarm bell.
   
   When you call from these elevators, you will be asked to provide the name of the building (i.e., Stewart Lee Udall Department of the Interior Building), the elevator cab number (which is posted inside the elevator cab), and the telephone number in the elevator.  If possible,
   please provide the approximate location of the elevator cab (e.g., between the 4th and 5th floors).
5. When you have reported the problem to the proper authority, discontinue any unnecessary use of the telephone. It may be necessary for emergency-response personnel to call you to give you specific instructions.

Our elevator operation and safety record for the Interior Complex is excellent.  We maintain a rigorous maintenance program, and periodic testing and inspections are performed by licensed elevator inspectors from the GSA.  Our elevator contractor is on duty from 6:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. on government workdays.  Should an emergency occur before or after those hours, our elevator contractor is required to respond and be on-site within one hour of notification.

Contact

You may contact us through the administrative contact for your bureau or office, the Office of Facilities and Administrative Services service desk on (202) 208-2222, or one of the individuals below: