Necessity the Mother of Invention
Rolly Mechler
Plato is usually credited with the proverb: “Necessity is the Mother of Invention”. COVID-19 has certainly spawned necessity and served as the catalyst for invention and innovation in 2020. A Psychology Today article identified: “7 Great Innovations Responding to the Coronavirus”. They included: a bag ventilator built from a windshield wiper motor; a thermal imaging system that identifies individuals with a fever in a large crowd; and custom-fit eye protection for health care workers.
The elevator industry has also been hard at work in their workshops coming up with new technologies and products to address some of the new health and safety concerns that have arisen as a result of this global pandemic. Elevators are obvious concerns with the multiple surfaces that are communally touched and the confined space within the cab. For these reasons we have had many elevator owners reach out to us to see if there were products available that could minimize their risks, and where possible perhaps even cut down on costs for them.
We tasked Roland Huber, our Vice President, with scouring the trade journals and reaching out to our suppliers to see what they have to offer. Please note: elevators have significant safety requirements (not the least of which is Flame-Spread Rating). You cannot simply try to copy an idea with a cheap alternative. In Ontario, TSSA inspectors will monitor what products are installed on elevators.
Here are Roland’s Top 3 Covid-19 Elevator Innovations:
1. Foot-Activated Call Button
We were excited to see that one of our own long-time suppliers, MAD Elevator, located in Mississauga, ON, made the international elevator innovation list with their Foot-Activated Call Button. As you can see from the picture below, elevator calls can be activated both in the hall or in the elevator by pushing a button near the floor with your foot. The manufacturer says that the pedal-style buttons are designed for robustness and easy functionality, allowing the passenger to keep their heel on the ground to activate the button with their toes. According to MAD Elevator, “This not only keeps the elevator clean, but also adds a layer of convenience to passengers with full hands.”
Approximate Costs: about $8,000 for 2-floor elevator.
Additional floors about $2,000/floor.
Reach out for a firm quote.
2. PVC Covers for Car Operating Panels and Hall Stations
The most obvious concern with elevators is that you are usually required to push a button to either call an elevator to a floor or to choose your destination once in the elevator. One Ontario manufacturer designed a protective, fire resistant Clear Vinyl Hygiene Cover that goes over top of the pushbutton station (see pictures below). These Bayshield-19 covers offer simple do-it-yourself (Velcro) installation, are flexible and strong and can be easily cleaned. The clear vinyl covers pass the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Fire Resistance Classification. While there is an initial investment, they can save you significant money because you avoid getting liquids and other moisture into electrical parts and prevent unnecessary corrosion of plastic parts which can be significantly expensive in the mid to longer term.
Cost: for 18” x 24” (Hall Call Stations) – $315/pc plus HST
and for 15” x 70” (Car Operating Panels) – $355/pc plus HST
Please note all prices are FOB Elevator One, Barrie
3. Polyethylene Film for Car Operating Panels and Hall Stations
If customers are looking for a more economical way of covering their Car Operating Panels and Hall Stations, we have been able to source some high quality, elevator grade, polyethylene film to provide a covering that is sufficiently strong and provides the required sticking power without leaving behind a glue residue. Depending on use, it may have to be replaced on a weekly basis or more frequently, but it allows you to clean the touching surfaces without damaging the underlying buttons.
Costs: $250 for the package that includes a 12” wide (300ft) roll
and a 3” wide (300ft) roll.
Please note all prices are FOB Elevator One, Barrie
Other Notable COVID-19 Elevator Product Innovations
Escalator/Moving-Walk Handrail Sterilizer – another UK company came up with a system which automatically sanitizes the handrails on escalators and moving walkways.
Elevator Cab Air Sterilization – a New York cab company has developed a Patent-pending technology which works continuously using special filtration and UV-C light to help clean the air throughout the day, 24/7.
App to Call Elevators – in order to avoid touching elevator buttons, an international elevator company has developed technology to let users call an elevator using an App on their smartphones “from anywhere nearby”.
Kindly email us at sales@elevatorone.ca, or call 705.728.2361 and ask for Rolly if you are interested in getting a quote on Roland’s Top 3 Picks, or information on the other product ideas.
Rolly has been in the elevator industry for nearly 20 years in both a sales role and running an Operations Department. He works hard to help implement methods to provide superior service to Elevator One clients.
