16th Annual National Elevator Escalator Safety Awareness Week

The Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation (EESF) and Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation of Canada (EESFC), along with industry professionals in North America, will celebrate National Elevator Escalator Safety Awareness Week from November 8 - 14, 2009. Safety Week is a promotion of public safety awareness for elevators, escalators and moving walks. The celebration began in 1994 and has continued annually the second full week of November.

The EESF's mission is to educate the public on the safe and proper use of elevators, escalators and moving walks through informational programs. Safety Week provides a focal point for the industry, on a local and national level, to join together to spread the word about public safety. EESF invites elevator/escalator companies, transit authorities and labor organizations as well as individuals to make this special week a huge success in cities throughout the North America.

EESF provides a free Safety Week Planning Guide which includes information on organizing events and printable materials to use for Safety Week. The guide includes tools such as proclamations, press releases for local media, safety coloring sheets for children and safety handouts for adult riders. The Planning Guide can be downloaded by visiting the Safety Week section of EESF's web site. Organizers may also request a copy of the Planning Guide by contacting EESF.

The Foundation also has developed a Safety Week Kit to help volunteers and organizations celebrate. It may be purchased by any interested group or individual for $350 plus shipping costs. The items included in the kit are the Planning Guide, a table cloth customized with the Safety Week logo, a display banner, 2 Safe-T Rider DVDs, 5 Safe-T Rider posters, 500 Safe-T Rider Activity Books and 500 Safe-T Rider stickers. Those who have purchased a Safety Week Kit in the past can order refill materials by contacting EESF.

EESF strongly encourages its members and others in the industry to volunteer by presenting the Safe-T Rider program to children in their area. Safety Week provides the perfect opportunity to visit a school in your area!

The following are simple safety rules emphasized during Safety Week. EESF encourages everyone to spread the word about safety. To help promote this cause, post the following general safety tips on your company/organization's web site, in a common area or other relevant space where many people might read them. Feel free to put a link to EESF's web site from your web site!

For more information about volunteering, the Free Planning Guide or the Safety Week Kit, visit www.EESF.org/Education, call (800) 949-6442 or e-mail info@EESF.org.