University elevators failed inspections

Elevators in Wu and Scully halls failed state inspections last month and were closed after testing showed minor problems with their hydraulic systems, inspection records show.

However, the University maintains that elevator users were not at risk because the test is used only to “detect any future potential issues well before they present a risk,” University spokeswoman Emily Aronson said in an e-mail.

“There was no indication from the test of imminent safety concerns,” she said.

Inspectors performed a “static test” on Nov. 30, which involved loading large weights into the elevator and leaving them overnight. The test puts the elevator under strain that it would not regularly encounter to reveal the potential for future problems. However, the test does not reflect the current safety of the elevator under normal conditions, Aronson said.

When the inspectors came back, they noticed that there was “very minor fluid seepage” and that the elevators dropped “very slightly,” Aronson said. This result indicates a potential problem with the elevator’s hydraulic system, which pushes it up and down.

Replacement parts for the elevator have been ordered and should be installed within the next few weeks.

The tests are part of semiannual inspections conducted by the state. Inspectors also examine other aspects of the elevator, including its doors and emergency phones.

The implicated elevators had no history of problems, Aronson said.