Majority of Singapore Escalator Incidents Due to User Behavior

The vast majority of safety incidents that occurred on escalators in Singapore in the first 10 months of 2023 happened because people were not using them properly, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) said on Nov 27, The Straits Times reports. A total of 632 escalator incidents were reported from January to October 2023, and 97% (or 616) cases were due to user behavior. People struggling with large, heavy items such as prams, luggage and shopping trolleys were the top cause of these incidents, accounting for about 17% of all cases, BCA said. More than half of those involved in these incidents were aged 55 or older. Other top causes of incidents include users moving on the escalator or not holding the handrail (16%); physical health conditions of users, for example, users feeling dizzy (12%); people not paying attention while on the escalator (11%), including from the use of mobile phones; and shoes or body parts getting trapped, particularly among young children (9%). Less than 3% of incidents were due to mechanical faults, according to BCA.