Counterweight · Issue #2

Counterweight: Mechanic recertification, three ways — plus Schindler’s robots, MBTA PSAs & Otis India

June 14, 2026 · 4 stories

Counterweight — The Elevator & Escalator Briefing

This issue covers two ends of the industry spectrum: Schindler's continued push toward robotic installation, and a pair of sobering safety incidents that are putting escalator and elevator emergency preparedness back in the spotlight. The MBTA story in particular raises hard questions about rider awareness and bystander response that go well beyond Boston.

A dimly lit industrial elevator shaft with metal framework and lights.

Schindler Expands R.I.S.E Robot Fleet to Seven Units [Global]

Schindler has added two new units of its Robotic Installation System for Elevators (R.I.S.E), bringing its global fleet to seven robots. The system has been deployed at 36 job sites worldwide and has installed approximately 50,000 anchor bolts across projects in Austria, Poland, India, the UK, Brazil, China, Singapore, and other countries. The self-climbing robot prepares elevator shaft walls by measuring positions, drilling holes, and installing anchor bolts autonomously according to a pre-uploaded digital work plan, with a human operator monitoring remotely.

MBTA launches escalator safety PSA campaign after rider's fatal entrapment at Davis Station [US]

Following the death of Steven McCluskey, 40, who became fatally trapped at the bottom of a moving escalator at the MBTA's Davis Square station in Somerville on February 27, the MBTA began displaying public service announcements on digital signage at stations around Boston warning riders about the danger of clothing getting caught in escalator machinery. Surveillance footage showed more than a dozen people passing McCluskey without pressing the emergency stop button or calling 911, with more than 20 minutes elapsing before help arrived. The MBTA also confirmed a second PSA was in production to inform riders about the emergency stop buttons located at the top and bottom of every escalator.

Two rescue workers in helmets and safety gear discussing the emergency response plan.

3 Injured After Elevator Falls Two Floors at Buckhead Apartment Complex [US]

On the evening of June 1, 2026, Atlanta Fire Rescue responded to an elevator emergency at an apartment complex in the 3200 block of Downwood Circle NW in Buckhead. The elevator malfunctioned and fell from the third floor to the first floor while three people were inside. Firefighters extracted the occupants, and all three were hospitalized at Grady Memorial Hospital; officials did not disclose the severity of their injuries.