Plastic triangle on escalators in department stores is an important safety feature. It is intended to prevent “dangerous crushing,” as a spokeswoman for the elevator and escalator operator Schindler explained.
Without the plastic protection, arms or other body parts could become trapped and crushed in the tapered gap. It also ensures that no one can “climb up the outside of the balustrade” Without all the measures, accidents cannot be completely prevented. Just last year, a woman fell on an escalator in Munich and died.. The triangular deflector can be found on many escalators and most people have probably seen it before. In addition to the deflector, there are numerous other safety measures that are intended to guarantee safe transport. Some of them, such as the base brushes, are well known, others are probably not known to most people. Other common safety precautions for escalators are: LED step gap lighting, yellow safety markings on the steps, and base brushes.