Vandalism
can appear almost anywhere, but passenger lifts are one of the most common
locations for damage and anti-social behaviour to occur. There’s nothing more
frustrating than seeing graffiti appear in a well-kept area, but if you don’t
tackle the problem quickly it can escalate fast.
Commercial
lifts should be a comfortable and safe area for everyone to use. Although
vandalism may seem like a minor issue, reduce the lifespan of your lift and
make people uncomfortable and unable to use the lift when they need to,
therefore making your commercial location inaccessible.
So, what can
you do to prevent vandalism in your commercial lift? In this blog, we explain
all you need to know about keeping your lift in a presentable condition and
keeping vandalism at bay. Read on to learn more.
Why does vandalism occur in lifts?
Lifts are
often targeted locations for vandalism since the enclosed environment makes it
less difficult to get caught. For opportunists, lifts can provide a blank
canvas for graffiti and damage so any kind of defacement must be tackled as
soon as it’s noticed.
Since lifts
are an area that can be a little more difficult to monitor, you mustn’t let
your lift become a hotspot for vandalism and criminal activity as this can lead
to more serious problems within the vicinity.
What are the most common types of lift damage?
Although
most users wouldn’t ever consider vandalising a commercial lift, a small
majority would. Unfortunately, vandalism does occur and can be anything from
minor damage to major destruction - either way you need to be quick in your
response.
Here are
some of the most common types of lift damage.
Graffiti
One of the
most common types of lift damage is graffiti. Under section 1 of the criminal act 1971
, graffiti is classed as criminal
damage. Although graffiti can be seen as a form of art, when you have not given
permission for someone to graffiti your area and offensive words or images are
sprayed, this can be a big cause for concern. Graffiti may appear on the
internal walls of the lift or on the doors. Not only does this make your
commercial lift look untidy, but users may be concerned about their safety and
therefore feel uncomfortable about using the lift.
Litter
Nobody wants
to ride in a lift that’s full of rubbish, however, there will be people that
choose to dump their litter in the lift such as food packaging. Allowing
rubbish to sit in your lift is not only unhygienic but gives the impression
that you do not take good care of the area and this could put people off from
returning.
For some top
tips on how to keep your lift clean, take a look at our recent blog.
Wedged items
Although
items can fall in-between the elevator gaps accidentally, sometimes people do
this on purpose. Wedged items can severely damage your commercial lift causing
it to breakdown and prevent the doors from closing. Problems like this may be a
result of litter, however, anti-social behaviour may result in items being
pushed into the gaps within the lift and if you don’t keep on top of lift
maintenance this could go unnoticed until the lift is unusable.
Dents
Shopping
trolleys can often cause dents on the lift doors when people are not careful.
Encourage users to either not take their trolleys into the lift or place safety
messages on the walls next to the lift so people are more careful.
How to prevent vandalism and lift damage
So, now you
know a little more about lift vandalism and damage its time to find out how you
can prevent it. Tackling the problems sooner rather than later is essential and
this shows the public that you do not tolerate any kind of vandalism in your
lift. Luckily, there are many options that you can use to prevent this type of
behaviour and keep your lift looking its best and operating smoothly.
Do regular checks
Whether
you’ve already experienced vandalism or you want to prevent it from ever
happening, you must do regular checks in your lift. Weekly inspections are a
great way of spotting any new signs of damage so you can get them rectified
quickly. It’s also a great idea to have a professional lift maintenance company
on standby so you can have repairs done as and when they are needed.
Install
CCTV
To deter
unwanted behaviour its a good idea to install CCTV inside and around your lift.
As a physical deterrent, this kind of security measure will keep an eye on how
your lifts are being treated so offenders can be caught or encouraged to not
vandalise the lift in the first place. You may want to also add posters in the
lift notifying passengers that the elevator has CCTV.
Take action when you spot damage
As soon as
you notice signs of damage or vandalism you should take action immediately as
this shows people that you do not tolerate this behaviour. Get the damage
repaired or remove graffiti quickly before further vandalism occurs, that way
your lift will not become an easy target.
At ADL Lift
Services, we offer reliable servicing and repairs
across Scotland. Our team will
assess the problem and find the right solution quickly so your commercial lift
is back up and running in no time. With over 80 years of experience in lift
repairs and installations, you can count on us to get the job done right.
Contact us today for more information.
Add a bin to each level
If rubbish
and litter is a problem in your lift, a simple solution to add a bin on each
level outside of the lift. This will encourage people to dispose of their waste
properly and not throw it on the lift floor.
Keep your lift in good working order
Did you know
when lifts are in a poor condition this can encourage vandalism? If your
elevator looks old, damage and uncared for this shows opportunists that they
are unlikely to get caught since nobody has been looking after the area and
damage will stand out less if it is already in poor condition. Long wait times
can also cause people to get frustrated and cause vandalism to the lift. To
combat this, always keep your lift in great condition so it’s safe to use and gives
people less of a reason to damage it.
ADL Lift Services: Professional Commercial Lift
Installations Across the UK
Commercial
lifts are a great solution to making your commercial location more accessible.
At ADL Lift Services, our team offers a range of services including lift design
and installation so you can find a product that works for your needs - we
understand the importance of personalised service.
When you
work with us, our professional team will guide you from beginning to end
whether you need help modernising an old lift or installing a completely new
product. As soon as your lift is installed, our help doesn’t end there. Not
only are we on hand to conduct emergency lift cover, but our fully-trained
engineers can keep your lift operating in perfect condition throughout the
year.
Hire a professional lift installation company
that you can rely on today.
Get in touch
with us for more information.
