Escalator Injuries Common among Children
Escalator injuries among children are becoming more prevalent according to a study published in the August issue of Pediatrics.
The study found that from 1990 through 2002, there were an estimated 26,000 escalator injuries among children. Those injuries included amputations, which was highest for children younger than five. More than half of the injured children are boys. Twelve thousand of those injuries occurred in children younger than five years of age. About two-thirds were caused by falls, and about 10% were from entrapment.
The authors identified certain design changes that made the escalators safer, including narrowing the space between the moving stairs and the stairway wall. While this design change provided added protection against personal injury cases for children, the authors emphasized the fact that parental and caregiver supervision was essential, especially when transporting children in strollers while riding escalators.
The US Product Safety Commission has issued recommendations to help prevent escalator-related injuries, which include:
Removal of drawstrings from children's clothing;
Supervision of young children while using an escalator;
Holding the child's hand or picking up the child when riding on the escalator;
Not transporting children on the escalator in a stroller or cart;
Facing forward and holding onto handrails to avoid falls;
Avoiding the sides of escalator steps to prevent entrapment between the escalator step and the sidewall.
Source: McGeehan J et al "Escalator-Related Injuries Among Children in the United States, 1990-2002" Pediatrics 2006; 118: e1-e6
Barry Rooth
