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Dorm Safety
By Joseph Ahern
Safety has always been an important issue to staff, students and prospective students here at the Ohio State University. When potential students come to visit, some of the things the tour guides discuss is how safe the campus is, how much lighting USG has put up and how many telephones are easily available to make students feel more secure. One could say that OSU prides itself on keeping students safe. Sadly, that was not so over two years ago on October 20, 2006.
Freshman Andrew Polakowski, 18, was killed in a tragic elevator accident in Stradley Hall. Recently, his parents have decided to sue Ohio State for negligence. This has again brought up the issue of student safety in campus buildings and dorms to many students.
When asked if she feels safe in elevators, junior Rose Huskey said, "Not always. Many times the elevators feel rickety and loud and I've known people to get stuck in them from time to time." She specifically mentioned the Polakowski accident as one of her main reasons for feeling uneasy toward campus elevators. Because of this incident, Huskey normally takes the stairs.
Since the accident, Ohio State has improved immensely in elevator safety in hopes of avoiding another incident. Jim Lynch of Ohio State's department for Media Relations said that the accident was extremely tragic and the university still mourns the loss of Andrew Polakowski. To constantly improve on student safety since the accident, Ohio State has had Lerch Bates Inc. conduct a comprehensive review of every elevator, including a complete mechanical assessment. The firm also reviewed code compliance, capital planning and the service request system. The survey was completed in August of 2008. The equipment inspections by the firm show maintenance is performed to keep equipment safe, reliable and efficient. The survey went on to say that compared to other colleges, Ohio State has a very pro-active approach to student safety through education.
On the mechanical side of things, Ohio State has installed rope grippers in South Campus high rises and will add them to other high rises as part of the continuous upgrade process. New brakes and governors were also installed in the South Campus high rises, with other dorms to follow. Additional steps made to keep students safe were the hiring of a full-time staff member with elevator industry experience to oversee all aspects of elevator maintenance and monitoring, the installation of close circuit cameras in all high rise elevators for the sake of troubleshooting elevator faults and elevator safety issues has become a mandatory part of the Autumn Safety Hour in residence halls.
"The most reassuring thing the university has done," Huskey said, "Was to add the signs inside the elevators showing the maximum weight limit and warnings against misusing the elevators." When asked if this made her feel safe enough to ride the elevator again, she said yes, although she is reluctant to leave her stairs just yet.
Originally Published: February 4, 2009
