Baker’s bill to improve elevator safety in Pennsylvania passes Senate

WILKES-BARRE — The Pennsylvania Senate on Thursday passed legislation to improve elevator safety standards in Pennsylvania, according to the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Lisa Baker.

“Eight years ago, Luzerne County Correctional Officer Kris Moules tragically lost his life in the line of duty after a violent confrontation with an inmate led to both of them being thrown against a faulty elevator door and plunging down the shaft,” said Baker, R-Lehman Township. “This incident hits close to home for me, as Kris was not just a dedicated officer, but also a close friend of my son — and Kris was a talented young man whose life was cut short far too soon.”

In response to this heartbreaking event, Baker said corrective measures were introduced through Act 68 of 2018, which established the Elevator Safety Board to address critical issues surrounding elevator construction, maintenance and inspection.

However, despite this initial progress, Baker said Pennsylvania’s elevator code has remained outdated since 2002. According to Baker, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers has revised the national elevator code seven times since then, yet Pennsylvania still adheres to standards that no longer reflect current safety practices.

Baker said the Elevator Safety Board submitted its recommendations to update these codes to the Department of Labor and Industry in late 2020, but the agency has not acted.

Senate Bill 1230 requires the Department of Labor and Industry to adopt an updated safety code, effective July 1, 2025. Prior to adoption, Baker said the Elevator Safety Board may recommend modifications based upon its professional expertise and industry experience.

Baker said the legislation establishes timely benchmarks, making sure these necessary upgrades will not be delayed further and public safety will prevail.

Baker added, “After Kris’s passing, his mother, Kitty Moules, looked me in the eye and said, ‘Please make sure people are safe and Kris’s death was not in vain.’ I made a promise to her that I intend to uphold — one that reflects the expectations of a community that lost a bright young man to unforeseen dangers.”

The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.