Brushes on escalators: That's what the "shoe shine station" is really for
Created: 01/21/2022, 11:25 am
By: Anna Lehmer
For many, they are the ultimate "shoe cleaning system": The brushes on escalators are often misused as a small cleaning to go.
They have a completely different function.
Munich – In a moment when no one is looking, most of us have done it before: the shoe is briefly held to the black brushes of the escalator.
Little effective, but still very amusing, many people consider the bristles to be free shoe polishers.
It should be clear to everyone that the long stripes on the escalator are not actually intended for this.
Rather, they should ensure our safety.
Bristles on escalators: Many misuse them as a "shoe cleaning system"
They are tiny but very dangerous: shoelaces can endanger our health.
At least when you stand too close to escalators and there are no bristles.
The Swiss lift and escalator manufacturer Schindler clarifies in an interview with
SRF
on: "The so-called base brush prevents the escalator user from standing too close to the base".
It is a safety measure, because "between the moving step and the rigid base" there is a "danger of being drawn in".
Although it is only a very small gap, people could still injure themselves.
In the past there have always been accidents in which shoelaces, hanging scarves or flip-flops got caught in the gap.
For this reason, base brushes for escalators in Europe have been required by law since 2004 in accordance with the DIN EN 115 standard "Safety of escalators and moving walkways".
Escalators with safety features: Grooved steps are no coincidence
Not only do the base brushes have a special function, the grooved steps are no coincidence either.
They are particularly important for outdoor escalators in order to make a step non-slip.
Black ice can often form at low temperatures, and the grooves would then prevent ice accidents, according to the company.
"In addition, the grooves collect pebbles that would otherwise lie loose on the steps".
Safety measure base brush: Experts clarify
Anyone who now thinks that such a small shoe shine unit will not harm anyone should think of the words of the Swiss company.
Apart from the low cleaning effect, the bristles are primarily intended as a safety measure so that nobody is endangered when using an escalator.
"We keep observing that escalator users use the base brush as a shoe cleaning device, which of course it is not."
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