A passenger lift is a remarkably reliable and hard-wearing piece of equipment, often making thousands upon thousands of journeys without showing any of the strain of this effort.
Ever since Elisha Otis asked his assistant to cut the rope keeping his safety lift in the air at New York’s Crystal Palace, lifts have been made with safety aforethought, and the overwhelming majority of people who use them on a regular basis will never see a fault or notice an issue.
However, in the unlikely event that a lift stops whilst in operation with the doors failing to open, the first step is to press the lift call or alarm button. In most British lifts this will be a little bell icon.
This will alert the operator or building manager that you are stuck in the lift. Because of the way the intercom system is set up, even in the event of a power cut you will be able to communicate with someone who can help.
They will often provide instructions to get out, and it is essential to follow these and to remain calm. The lift cable will not snap, if it does the lift will not fall due to the safety brakes, and contrary to popular belief, lifts are not airtight and are well-ventilated, so you will not run out of oxygen.
Do not try to force open the doors as the lift may not have stopped in a place that is safe to get out. If the doors open between floors, do not try to climb out, as it can lead to serious injury if you slip.
Move to the back of the lift to allow emergency responders to open the doors, in case they need to be forced open, but other than that there is not a lot a person needs to do whilst trapped in a lift.