Don Mueang airport’s escalator accident not caused by poor maintenance

[norbra]

36 minutes ago, Mr Dome said:

Sure, falling forward could happen but the travelator "eating her leg" in that scenario is rather unlikely, no?

I can't imagine her falling forward,I suspect that when her suitcase was involved in the "collision" with the comb plate it became stationary while the woman's feet were most likely following the suitcase and pushed it off the walkway leaving her still moving feet at the mouth of the damaged unprotected floor plate, Her foot was then dragged in similar to putting ATM card in cash machine

[superal]

31 minutes ago, Dr B said:

I must first say that I feel very sorry for this lady, who has suffered a horrendous accident.

Having said that, I would like to point out something that none of the KWs seem to have noticed, and to which even the media have paid little attention. Please look at the two photographs from The Mail article. The first shows one side of her "suitcase" with the wheels damaged, and the second allows a check of the scale against the very unfortunate woman's leg. That is a suitcase, so why is she in possession of it at that location in the airport. Not just Don Muang, but airports all over the world, are not designed for passengers to take suitcases onto aircraft. The concept is that passengers arrive at Departure Level, go to check in, and deposit their luggage. Thereafter (1) the luggage is transported by a baggage handling system, in which at the end of a conveyor, the luggage tumbles onto the next conveyor. This is happening all the time in airports around the world, works well, and is fine for bags, but not for people. As a result (2) the people only have "hand carry" luggage, which the airlines prescribe to generally be less than 7 kg, and within a set of dimensions so that it can fit within the overhead lockers. This also means that, when using escalators or travelators, you can step off at the end, carrying your hand baggage. This is what they are designed for, and the "scrapers" at the ends which seem to be a yellow plastic in this case, are there to prevent small items of rubbish from getting taken round into the mechanism and jamming it. They are not designed to scrape luggage or passengers off the travelator or escalator.

It is easy to note that in both airports and supermarkets, where trolleys are used to carry loads on travelators, the trolleys always have quite large wheels, at least 75 mm in diameter, so that they can easily negotiate the ends of travelators. But also note that, in Airports, the luggage trolleys do not get past check-in, and the smaller hand carry luggage trolleys are normally banned from travelators.

What has happened is that there is a growing number of passengers who do not want to check-in luggage, probably considering that it "wastes their time". We have all seen them struggling down the aisles of aircraft with too many and too large bags, and so heavy that they cannot even lift them into a locker without help. Airports are not designed for this. Obviously one cannot tell the weight of a suitcase from a photograph, but I would venture to suggest that the one in this case weighed well over 7 kg. Luggage manufacturers encourage this behaviour, fitting their suitcases with wheels, but generally very small ones. So I suspect from all the information available that the passenger was travelling on the travelator standing just behind her suitcase. At the end the small wheels, under heavy load, got jammed at the "scraper" for reasons which I do not know without mechanical examination, where the travelator starts to drop down. This would stop the progress of the suitcase, so the travelator would push the passenger into the suitcase causing her to fall over. The travelators are not designed for passengers lying on the floor, and it is likely that there was already some opening up of the scrapers caused by the wheels. That would allow the end of her jeans to get trapped into the same area, which would quickly pull the leg and foot in with it.

There may be a need for changes in the future, but they will not come quickly. For now, to stay safe, simply follow the rules. Check in your suitcases, have only regulation hand carry on bags in terms of weight and size, and step off travelators and escalators carrying your bags as you do so. I did note that there was some reposting of information about a similar incident a few years ago involving a white Croc sandal. The wearer advised that he had managed to get his foot out of the sandal and was very lucky to avoid injury. However he also mentioned that he was "stepping off the travelator" at the time, and I have to doubt this. I do not believe it could have happened if he had stepped off. It is more likely that, perhaps because he was on his phone or otherwise distracted, he did not step off and was relying on the scarpers to transfer his body weight from the travelator to solid ground, for which they were not designed.

I go along with your view on the size of the pink suitcase , seems rather large . Also concerning the carry on luggage in general at most check ins . Rarely is it weighed and like you I have seen passengers boarding the plane with 2 or more carry on baggage . E.G. large ruck sacks which take up half the overhead locker , compliant sized wheeled luggage that is too heavy to be lifted up to the overhead locker by one person . 

The pink suitcase could play a part in investigations if it should have been check in luggage but that would also implicate the check in staff .

In the western world , most mechanical machines that serve the public , there will be a service / maintenance schedule (  not just a visual inspection ) . There can be a strip down of most parts and non destructive testing on stressed parts that include fasteners and bolts . There will be a service register that records all inspections . I wonder if that applies in this tragedy ?

Alas , we know that Thailand is known for lack of maintenance / health & safety laws because it spoils profits . That was the same in the UK until about 30 years ago 

[ikke1959]

Don  Muang is the only airport that get problems with a not damaged suitcase?? In other airports all suitcases are well and are not damaged??

[Moonlover]

2 hours ago, Isaan sailor said:

Seems like we should always position wheeled luggage behind us when exiting travelators and escalators.

Or even better, carry it. After all it is 'carry on baggage' that passengers have at this stage of embarkation.

[norbra]

31 minutes ago, Marcous said:

 

Is that an emergency stop button right at the top of the image, towards the left?

 

From the PBS article, it stopped itself automatically after 20 seconds, which is an awfully long time for no action to be taken by staff or other passengers.

 

Maybe there wasn't an emergency stop?

 

 

Travelators and escalators cannot be stopped.too quickly for fear of casualties to those riding being flung to the floor of the travelators or to the bottom of escalators.

[kensisaket]

8 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

A likely story.....

 

 

Yeah, I'd like a count of hands of people who would like to see that daily inspection checklist.  

 

[Jiggo]

Not saying this unfortunate lady did, but it seems most people are looking into their mobile phone's and not enough attention to what's going on around them nowadays.

[Isaan sailor]

49 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

Or even better, carry it. After all it is 'carry on baggage' that passengers have at this stage of embarkation.

Sounds right, but my experience as a former frequent flyer with a 20-25-lb carry on is to roll it behind me.  You have to make a connecting flight, and at large airports, your next gate is often 1/4 mile away with boarding in 10 minutes.  You depend on moving walkways.  And yes, I always had checked luggage too.

[Lokie]

Does appear the suitcase wheels got caught up and damaged the Travellator End Guard Combs causing a failure of the end step support bolt, the poor lady's foot/leg then being fed into the mechanism.

 

As someone mentioned luggage/cases should be behind the user on Travellators in case of any issues Re catching/getting caught up which could occur with any moving parts what-ever safe guards are in place. People ultimately need to take care of themselves when using anything, things like using mobile phones, hand held gadgets, ear buds/head phones etc are all Risk raisers. AOT not at fault IMO, but have said they will assist the lady (I am not saying she was on a phone or anthing else just pointing out what lots of people do in everyday life that strikes me as stupid) 

[jacko45k]

How much did it cost to make him think that up!

[Moonlover]

54 minutes ago, Jiggo said:

Not saying this unfortunate lady did, but it seems most people are looking into their mobile phone's and not enough attention to what's going on around them nowadays.

Yes I've seen that often as well.

[thecyclist]

 

For the sake of safety while riding on the escalator, Boonpong suggested passengers to keep one hand on the handrail and avoid using their cell phone.

 

Good luck with that one. 90% of younger folks are so addicted to their devices that they can't focus on anything else for longer than a few seconds. Maybe speeding it up to a scary pace would make sure they remained focused. 

[Liverpool Lou]

9 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Don Mueang airport had hired the company which supplied the escalator to maintain it and it is checked by the company’s mechanics every day

Expand  

A likely story.....

A predictable comment.

[Liverpool Lou]

7 hours ago, fdimike said:

It looks like a moving walkway to me rather than an escalator which normally moves people up/down from one floor to another.  I think there's something amiss in this report.

Nothing more amiss than the wrong choice of word in a translation.

[Liverpool Lou]

7 hours ago, fdimike said:

Moving walkways just move people on a flat surface to save walking.  I find it hard to believe that DM Apt had this device installed for 30 years.

Why?   So what?

[Liverpool Lou]

5 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

A 30 year old failing bolt is not a maintenance issue?

Not if it was the result of  a foreign object falling into the mechanism and caused the damage...as he explained.

[Pink Mist]

Reported Unsubstantiated claims and trolling posts have been removed 

[Liverpool Lou]

4 hours ago, 1happykamper said:

An emergency stop takes 20 seconds? That right there is rubbish! Two seconds. I would hope. 

 

Why 20 seconds? 

The report did not say that the an emergency stop took 20 seconds, it said that the walkway stopped automatically after 20 seconds.

[Liverpool Lou]

4 hours ago, newnative said:

So, a loose bolt finally fell off, which caused the panel to collapse.  How is that not poor maintenance?   If the moving sidewalk is inspected every day, as stated, why was the loose bolt not found and tightened?  

Nowhere did it say that the bolt was loose, it said that it failed as a result of a foreign object getting into the mechanism.   Why don't you, and so many others, quote what was actually reported instead of making up your false own versions?

[Liverpool Lou]

4 hours ago, phetphet said:

4 hours ago, newnative said:

So, a loose bolt finally fell off, which caused the panel to collapse.  How is that not poor maintenance?   If the moving sidewalk is inspected every day, as stated, why was the loose bolt not found and tightened?  

Expand  

Exactly.

"Exactly" what wasn't reported.

[Moonlover]

32 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Don Mueang airport had hired the company which supplied the escalator to maintain it and it is checked by the company’s mechanics every day

 

31 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

A predictable comment.

Yes of course it's predictable, because it's undoubtedly true. It's standard practice.

 

 

[bbbbooboo]

hmmm..."indicating that the bolt which attaches the floor to the escalating rail had failed". Poor maintenance in Thailand...surely not ?...and it had only been there for 30 yrs ... and it had been checked the day before....something doesnt up here...bolts(steel ones) dont fail in 24 hrs ?

[Moonlover]

2 hours ago, norbra said:

I can't imagine her falling forward,I suspect that when her suitcase was involved in the "collision" with the comb plate it became stationary while the woman's feet were most likely following the suitcase and pushed it off the walkway leaving her still moving feet at the mouth of the damaged unprotected floor plate, Her foot was then dragged in similar to putting ATM card in cash machine

Strange analogy, but probably correct.

[h90]

6 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

A 30 year old failing bolt is not a maintenance issue? Though escalators may have long lifetimes, this one is used alot more than most. So, it is reasonable to replace it after 15 years, for the sake of safety. 

 

And advising people to use the handrail is bad advice. They are utterly riddled with bacteria and germs. Never use an escalator handrail. 

can be that the bolt holds forever.....If it is not a maintenance issue than it is a design issue...which would be even worse. In my opinion such things must be designed that even in the worst malfunction no one get hurt....only the system get stuck. For sure now I'll walk with my legs again.....Not useing that mechanical people eaters again...

[h90]

27 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Not if it was the result of  a foreign object falling into the mechanism and caused the damage...as he explained.

It is even worse...than it is a design fault....

[Moonlover]

18 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Nowhere did it say that the bolt was loose, it said that it failed as a result of a foreign object getting into the mechanism.   Why don't you, and so many others, quote what was actually reported instead of making up your false own versions?

Read headline, jump to conclusion, type response. A common occurrence on ASEAN NOW.

[bangkok19]

7 hours ago, fdimike said:

Moving walkways just move people on a flat surface to save walking.  I find it hard to believe that DM Apt had this device installed for 30 years.

No, what about the sloping moving walkways at Swampy that take you from Domestic Arrivals down to the taxi rank.

[Peterphuket]

3 hours ago, Moonlover said:

Well done Dr. B. Avery long explanation which will probably bore the pants off most of the sceptics here. However I completely agree with you.

Pardon, can't it be carry-on luggage?

People try to bring all kinds of things, as long as it is not refused, it is good.

[JensenZ]

3 hours ago, superal said:

I go along with your view on the size of the pink suitcase , seems rather large . Also concerning the carry on luggage in general at most check ins . Rarely is it weighed and like you I have seen passengers boarding the plane with 2 or more carry on baggage . E.G. large ruck sacks which take up half the overhead locker , compliant sized wheeled luggage that is too heavy to be lifted up to the overhead locker by one person . 

The pink suitcase could play a part in investigations if it should have been check in luggage but that would also implicate the check in staff .

In the western world , most mechanical machines that serve the public , there will be a service / maintenance schedule (  not just a visual inspection ) . There can be a strip down of most parts and non destructive testing on stressed parts that include fasteners and bolts . There will be a service register that records all inspections . I wonder if that applies in this tragedy ?

Alas , we know that Thailand is known for lack of maintenance / health & safety laws because it spoils profits . That was the same in the UK until about 30 years ago 

Just like plane crashes were crucial in the process of making flying safer, travelators and escalotors will become safer after such accidents. They will be redesigned and maintenance will improve. 

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

A malfunctioning suitcase wheel is potentially behind an unfortunate incident that took place at Don Mueang airport’s moving walkways, causing a woman to lose part of her left leg, according to the Engineering Institute of Thailand (EIT).

Desperately trying to save face and blame anything that they can.

Why not just come out and say if she didn't use it it wouldn't have happened at all?