NUMEROUS FALLS SPARK ESCALATOR SAFETY CAMPAIGN

An escalator safety campaign has been launched at the Metro Trains Parliament Station after a pair of the station's 30-m-long escalators were deemed the most dangerous in Melbourne, Australia, the Daily Mail reports. A study found that, on average, three people per week were falling on the escalators, which help carry about 35,000 passengers a day to and from the train platforms. The study said the length of the escalators was only part of the problem — the station's mix of stainless-steel panels and fluorescent lighting strips could lead to vertigo, it said. It also noted that many falls occurred after riders looked backward, and said others involved people carrying heavy bags. The safety campaign includes signs and audio announcements urging riders to hold tight to handrails and follow other safe practices. Metro Trains officials are planning improvements to the station to reduce the risk of falls.