Risk and the Vertical Transportation Industry

Risk is a major concern for the public, scientists, engineers and policy makers alike. Yet there are major discrepancies between what the public fear and the magnitude of risks calculated by the ‘experts’. This paper reviews current thinking on risk perception, communication, assessment and management. Examples are used to demonstrate the difficulties faced by industries who have mis-managed risk. In spite of a good passenger safety record, using lifts and escalators is frightening for some passengers, a fear sometimes amplified by media reporting. A pro-active risk management strategy for vertical transportation industry is proposed and discussed.