A man working to repair an elevator in the Modern Languages building got caught between the car and the shaft wall and was dragged down two floors yesterday, suffering a serious but not life-threatening injury to his leg, officials said.
The man, an employee of Facilities Management, was working with another technician doing routine maintenance on an elevator on the fifth floor when he somehow became pinned, said George Humphrey, director of UA public affairs.
The elevator had traveled down to the third floor before the other technician was able to bring it to a stop, Humphrey said.
It is too soon to tell exactly what happened or the cause of the accident, but a team from Facilities Management and the department of risk management is working to figure it out.
“”We are assessing it out as we speak,”” said Chris Kopach, associate director of Facilities Management.
The man is currently being treated at the University Medical Center, though there is no official word on his condition, said Johnny Cruz, director of UA media relations.
The man suffered “”significant and serious”” laceration-type injuries to his upper leg, but his life does not appear to be in danger, said Capt. Paul McDonough, Tucson Fire Department spokesman.
The University of Arizona Police Department and TFD both responded to the emergency call, said UAPD spokesman Sgt. Eugene Mejia.
Original reports said that the accident was so serious that the injuries were life-threatening, Mejia said.
The investigation into the incident will be reported to the Arizona Department of Occupational Safety and Health, said Steve Holland, director of the department of risk management and safety.
There is no deadline for filing this sort of report unless an incident results in death, Holland said. If that were the case, the state would become an active participant in the investigation.
Holland said his department will probably file claims with the state to cover the man’s medical expenses and possible lost wages as a result of yesterday’s incident.
If the state finds evidence of neglect or wrongdoing in yesterday’s incident, it will write a citation for the responsible organization, Holland said. If the university faces a citation, the direct financial responsibility for paying the fine would fall on Facilities Management, Holland said.
