Escalator Technician Dies In Fall At Department Store

A man working on an escalator inside a department store in Richmond, Virginia, died after falling through the vertical transportation unit, ABC 8 News reports. The Richmond Fire Department said it received the emergency call from the store just before 10 a.m. on January 19, when the store was not yet open to customers. The cause of the escalator accident was not immediately clear. Rescue officials had earlier called the victim a staff technician, and the store referred to the worker as a “valued, long-time” associate. OSHA requires escalators to be inspected every year, officials said, and less-thorough reviews should be conducted monthly. Public signage should list service dates, a report noted.