Crocs and similar soft shoes linked to escalator entrapments

At first we thought that the stories we've been hearing about Crocs getting caught in escalators were an urban myth akin to alligators in the sewers. But recently, safety groups in the U.S. and Japan have issued warnings about soft-sided flexible clogs like Crocs and its imitators posing safety hazards to escalator riders. Typically, the shoe becomes entrapped when the rider is stepping on or off the escalator or standing too close to the side.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that 77 escalator entrapment incidents have been reported since January 2006, half of which resulted in injury. All but two of the incidents involved soft-sided flexible clogs and slides such as Crocs. The CPSC doesn't reference the brand Crocs in its announcement but acknowledges that Crocs fall into the category of soft shoes they are warning about.

"This is a newer product on the market that poses a risk and we felt it was responsible to let consumers know," said CPSC spokesperson Julie Vallese. "It's not the shoe causing the injury but an unintentional risk when using an escalator."

The New York Daily News reported that a three-year-old girl was "severely and permanently" injured in November when her Crocs-clad foot became caught in an escalator at JFK airport, injuring her big toe. The Washington Post reported that a four-year-old boy wearing Crocs suffered an injured toe when his foot got caught on an escalator in a mall in Virginia last September. And after noticing an increase in soft shoes getting caught in the hard teeth of its escalators, the Washington Metro posted warnings about wearing soft-soled shoes on its moving stairways.

In Japan, where 3.9 million pairs of Crocs were sold last year, the Trade Ministry asked the Colorado-based maker of Crocs to change the design of its shoes after receiving 65 complaints of Crocs and Crocs knockoffs becoming stuck in escalators between June and November of 2007. Most of the cases involved young children.

When asked about the entrapments, a Crocs spokesperson said, "Escalator safety is an issue we take very seriously.  Safety experts say several factors can contribute to escalator accidents, including escalator design and maintenance, loose clothing or untied shoelaces, footwear and improper use."

Vallese says that the CPSC has warned about soft shoes and escalator safety in the past and felt it should renew its warning because of the number of incidents involving soft shoes and because now that the weather is warming more people are opting for lighter footwear.

Here are some general tips about escalator safety compiled from information offered by the CPSC and the Washington Metro.

• Before climbing aboard, look to see where the emergency shutoff buttons are in case you need to stop the escalator. The buttons are usually at the top and bottom of each escalator and can be used to stop the escalator in an emergency.
• Check the direction of the escalator before you take the first step.
• To avoid the sides of steps where entrapment can occur, stand in the middle of the step. Always face forward and hold the handrail.
• Step over the comb plate. Always pick up your feet and step carefully on or off the escalator. Never drag or slide your feet off the edge of the escalator.
• Stay clear of moving parts. Keep your hands, feet and clothing clear of the side panels of the escalator. Remember: loose shoe laces, rubber boots and baggy clothes can get caught in the moving parts of the escalator. Make sure you have no dangling clothing or loose shoelaces that could get caught.
• Always hold children's hands on escalators and do not permit children to sit or play on the steps.
• Never walk up the down escalator or vice versa.
• Do not bring children onto escalators in strollers, walkers or carts.
• Stand upright. Never lean on the side of the escalator or sit on the stairs. Never ride on the handrail.
• Do not run on an escalator.
• Exit promptly from the escalator. Never stop, stand or play at an escalator landing; this can cause a dangerous pileup.

Comments

[Tapple]

My daughter's croc got pulled into the side of the escalator when we were half way down, no where near to an emergency stop button, luckily her shoes were older and when she pulled her foot back it broke the back ankle strap and she was not injured. The escalator pulled her shoe and her sock off of her foot and they both popped out from the side two steps up behind us. She was standing next to me on the step and holding my hand and behaving. She wasn't bouncing around or misbehaving. I don't necessarily think it was the shoe. Although we ride escalators all the time and this is the first and last time she has worn her crocs on the escalator. I had seen kids and adults get things stuck in the bottom and top areas of the escalators and that was where I thought the danger areas were. I never thought about the sides of an escalator. Perhaps a guard or shield should be designed to cover this area so that people don't get clothing or shoes caught. I am just thankful my daughter wasn't hurt. She is 8 years old and I don't think she will be back on an escalator anytime soon. I think it is ridiculous to sue the shoe company for an injury. The croc company didn't make any claim that the shoes were a safety shoe, nor great to wear at all times. I think too many people are sue happy and want to make money from anything they can. Perhaps we should all look at how to make escalators safer or install stationary stairs. The store we were in has no obvious stationary stairs for public use, I'm sure they have to have them for evacuation purposes.

[Martin Smith]

I imagine that ANY shoe made of rubbery material would get caught more easily in an escalator should you be standing wrong on one. Note that "standing wrong" is the main issue there. Parents don't watch where there children s feet are on escalators. I have seen it a million times. They might enter them properly but then the children proceed to move around and slide their feet, stretch for the moving rails because they want to hold on, rather then staying put. Kids should hold an adults hand because holding the rail moves their smaller bodies to close to the moving edge of the stairs. Its all posted on each and every escalator you ride. Unfortunately nobody pays the required attention until little Susie's slip on gets sucked up and causes an injury. Before thinking about a lawsuit think about this. What if Crocs came back with their own lawsuit suing you for being a negligent parent in allowing your child to ride the escalator with his/her feet in a dangerous position while wearing slip on shoes? I mean the escalator did not just reach up and grab the childs foot because she/he was wearing a Croc. The childs foot was where it should not have been...in a dangerous position..then an accident happened.. and the shoe did exactly what it was suppose to be doing. Not slipping. Crocs are designed not to be slippery shoes. So I imagine they are not going to slip right out of elevator teeth or slip and slide against moving metal. Elevators are dangerous. People take them for granted. Don't blame the shoes you were wearing. That is just stupid.

[Sofia Aziz]

We are on Holiday in the UK and yesterday my 6 year old daughter's foot got sucked on the side of an Escalator at a popular shopping centre in Croydon. She was wearing Crocs...Her big toe had severe lacerations and we had to rush her to hospital. Luckily it looks like its not a permanent injury. However it could have been much worse as we struggled to free her. There have been a number of similar incidents worldwide and the question arises whether the manufacturers of Crocs are putting any warning labels on their products. Its been a traumatic experience for us and more so for our daughter.

[Kelly]

I am a crocs lover and I had heard of the escalator croc stories, but never really gave it a second thought. We just returned from vacation and on July 9, 2009 in a store in Las Vegas my daughters "mary jane" style croc was sucked off her foot. She was standing next to the side on the way down and said "my shoe is missing". It happened so quickly and how she was able to remove her foot without harm, I'll never know. The croc was literally sucked in and only approx. 1" was still visible. We will buy a new pair, but my children will never wear them on an escalator again. To not put blame on Crocs is ridiculous, they are selling a product that has a serious hazard to anyone who wears thier shoes. If my daughter would have been injured,I would be taking legal action against crocs, the store and the escalator manufacturer. Buyer Beware, be responsible.

[John]

Just yesterday my 4yr old haad his croc sucked in by the escalator. It took the whole front half of the croc. He was very lucky to escape w/out injury. There is a serious problem here with crocs. Little kids do not mind the rules and that is a fact of life. All of these people who say kids must follow the rules and be careful have obviously never had children.

However, it is very simple to solve the problem. DON"T BUY CROCS. I will not buy ever again and I will tell everyone my story.

[Pat A]

Hi

We had a similar spate of incidents in the UK about 20 years ago when "jellie" rubber sandals worn by kids were drawn into the sides of escalators. We now fit skirting edge deflectors to all escalators and have the escalators inspected every 6 month by an independent inspector; this has greatly reduced incidents at the side of the steps. However the incidents that still happen, with the machine, are at the exit point when the steps go into the combplate. If the combplate is correctly adjusted and undamaged then it is usually not a problem unless there is a problem with the footwear e.g. the laces not being tied.

The increasing number of incidents that we are seeing revolve around people falling from the side of the escalators in open plan environments whether they are persons trying to ride the hand rail up the side of the machine or children falling from parents arms over the side of the handrail. For these reasons I believe that the escalators should be enclosed to remove the risk of these incidents.

Escalators are potentially dangerous machines that if not designed, installed, maintained or used correctly will cause major injuries - people beware.

[Owen @ Indonesia]

cool tips... I My mom just bought a new Crocs, and I'm scared about the toe thingy. Be aware!!!

[Vonna]

The family of a Southwest Florida boy who fractured his foot in an escalator accident is suing the makers of Crocs shoes. The boy was wearing a pair of Crocs at Miami International Airport when one became entangled in an escalator.

Read the Naples Daily News story and take our poll:

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/apr/08/local-family-sues-makers-crocs-escalator-accident-/

[Crocs]

People have been riding escalators for years, but for some reason people still get killed or hurt on them. Come on, we're smarter than that.

[julie parks]

It just keeps happening and now crocs has been forced in Japan to redesign its shoes to make them safer--why not here in the us???

WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!

[Poovy]

another child wearing Crocs in Sinagpore has lost her toe in an escalator

[Debra Gainor]

I also thought the stories of kids getting their crocs stuck in an escalator was silly. My daughter has been wearing crocs since she was 3. She will be 5 in less then a month and today the entire front half of her crocs were torn off while she was holding my hand on an escalator. She was not playing around or standing at the end of the escalator waiting for it to guide her off. They just sucked her shoe right in the teeth of the elevator. The plastic is too soft and dangerous. What are we suppose to do, void escalators? We are very lucky that she was not injured. My daughter will never wear crocs again and I will make sure that every parent group in Los Angeles CA knows about this problem. If I could post photo's on this site I would.

[Sophie K]

There have been warnings out about crocs and similar shoes since 2006! What happened is tragic, BUT the parents bear some amount of responsibility for giving in to their child's wanting a shoe that has been proved dangerous for at least 3 years.

To quote the Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that 77 escalator entrapment incidents have been reported since January 2006, half of which resulted in injury. All but two of the incidents involved soft-sided flexible clogs and slides such as Crocs. The CPSC doesn't reference the brand Crocs in its announcement but acknowledges that Crocs fall into the category of soft shoes they are warning about.

"This is a newer product on the market that poses a risk and we felt it was responsible to let consumers know," said CPSC spokesperson Julie Vallese. "It's not the shoe causing the injury but an unintentional risk when using an escalator."

[Melissa]

Ok folks let's grow a brain. Crocs is not to blame here. Be it a croc, sandle, tennis shoe, or dress shoe, it doesn't matter childrens feet are small and are more inclined to get caught in an escalator. If you want to blame something, blame the people who make the stupid escalators and make them make the escalators safer for everyone. There have also been other stories about escalators and children getting coats and shoe laces caught in escalators but have you seen shoe laces torn off the market shelves or the producers of said shoe laces get bashed for their product in relation to escalators....NO! Grow up people and watch your kids until someone wises up and repairs the real problem that is unsafe escalators. Too often parents are so busy with their schedules they fail to pay attention to their children every second of the day NOR CAN they pay attention to them every second because they wouldn't get anything else done. Personally, you want healthier and safer children....use the stairs!!! Their waistlines will appreciate you when they get older and you won't have to worry about their little toes getting stuck in places they shouldn't. Don't hate the crocs, hate the escalators.

[KEELEY]

croc should take more responsability for a defect or danger in wearing there shoe, but also they should be made to put a warning on them so a parent is aware. all these people on here say its lazy people or irresponsible parents, but in reality... if it was one of your children who's toes got cut off, simply cause they stepped off too late or they had a foot resting too close to the side, you would be irate, and feel your child should have some kind of justice for the perminate disfiguration. have compassion for other man kind, every one should stand up for companys to care about what there products are doing to people. its just like kids playing with toys and getting led poison, i suppose thats there fault too?....

[merrill]

For all those doubters out there, and those who say parents should watch their kids, try travelling with three kids, all under the age of 8, with luggage, and flight time issues, AND making sure they hold onto the escalator handrail AND that they dont let the shoe their wearing touch the side..Thats the problem, KIDS want to touch the side--they like it..Do it in a sneaker--no big deal, do it in a CROC and bye bye toes! The issue here is did the parents know that danger when they bought the CROC and the answer is NO--why? because crocs didnt issue a simple warning--isse the warning and the parents to blame, BUT THATS NOT THE CASE HERE BECAUSE ISSUE THE WARNING AND SALES GO DOWN!!!! Dont you people get it? It really is so simple when you look at it from $$ persepctive of CROCS...so for those who say the trial lawyers are too much, think again!

[Jen]

Crocs are the ugliest shoes ever invented. They (along with flip flops, which I think are tacky too) are for lazy people who don't want to bend over and tie a real shoe. I bet these are the same people who owned parachute pants in the 80s.

[Aaron]

This lawsuit is nothing but a croc! I've torn my ACL, ruptured my achilles, broken both arms, chipped teeth and the like because of many factors, perhaps including the shoes I was wearing. People should take more responsibility for their actions and look out for their safety and the safety of their children and stop blaming others and hoping to win large settlements! Perhaps Crocs could pay the medical expenses (if the child was not covered under a health plan already). Otherwise suck it up, watch your children more carefully and buy a shoe for every occasion. You could carry with you a pair for walking, riding escalators, taking the stairs or elevator, walking a decline, walking an incline, walking in sand, walking in grass, running on pavement, etc. Goodness folks! Are you kidding me???

[Michelle]

I wear crocs everyday, everywhere. I have never had any accident, fall, etc. I am careful where and how I walk no matter what show I am wearing. I do not recommend smaller children wearing them as they do not know how to avoid some of the causes of these injuries. Also, please wear the straps across your ankles - it will help both your foot and your chances of an accident. Any shoe with no back or strap support at all is asking for trouble. Thanks.

[Kat]

Everyone just needs to pay attention and be careful on escalators, no matter what they are wearing. I saw teh Metro poster showing a pile of shoes involved in escalator accidents there, and there were some of every kind of shoe in the picture. Those kinds of accidents happened long before Crocs showed up on the scene. As for those whose feet get stuck on non-moving surfaces, just pick up your feet more when wearing soft soled shoes and the problem will be solved.

[Mariann]

I did fall the other day in the grocery store. My toe stopped and I went flying and landed on my hands and knees. Luckily I didn't break my kneecaps. I called Crocs and I'm waiting to see if they will do anything, although the customer service rep sounded reluctant and said that they couldn't resell them. So we'll see. But I doubt if I will wwear them anymore.

[TomTrottier]

The foremost problem seems to be the stickiness of the croc. Then the flexibility lets it be squeezed and drawn into the works. Fix either, and the problem should lessen.

I'm surprised that CR didn't suggest carrying little kids on escalators rather than supervising them.

tOM

[Paticia Sherwood]

The rubber in any shoe does not slide,I have had my Crocs get caught but I had read about this happening so I was prepared. I also have fallen wearing my Crocs.They just plain stopped on me as I was walking, unfortunately I was hurt quite badly. I will not wear my Crocs when I go shopping because there is a possiblity of them stopping me and make me lose my balance.I wear them in the yard or on the cement, they do not seem to stopped dead on cement,dirt,grass or sand.

[Marcus Dolson]

For wearing the most comfortable footwear ever, yes, I've paid the price of slipping on wet surface, too, Parents should not have small ones encounter one of the most fearful machines ever, the escalator, barefoot or soft shoed.

[Suzi Gutting]

I have tripped numerous times when wearing Crocs. The forward edge of the shoe seems to stick on the pavement or concrete and stay there while I'm still going forward. I haven't fallen yet, thank goodness, but it feels like an accident waiting to happen. I rarely wear them any more because of this, but I love how comfortable they are. I have 4 pairs that I'm reluctant to wear anywhere but inside the house.