Escalators need routine and regular maintenance

I REFER to the recent news reports in the various media about the four-year-old boy who lost half his foot after it was trapped in the escalator he was riding.

It was reported by the director-general of the Department of Occupational Health and Safety (DOSH) that escalators are manufactured to comply with the specifications of the European Standard, EN 115-1. This may be correct at the date the escalator was first installed but escalators are subjected to wear and tear during their service life, especially in places with a high people density like KL-Sentral. Wear and tear damage by friction is particularly high at the endings at the top and bottom of the escalator where the steel comb plate and comb are positioned. Dangerous clearances/gaps can develop over the time the escalator is in service.