How to Prevent Vandalism in Commercial Lifts
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
