I wrote to the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) after the recent spate of unfortunate lift accidents ("Mobility device user dies after lift accident"; May 17).

I was told that it is not mandatory to display an emergency contact number within the lift car to assist any person trapped within.

The BCA's advice was for the trapped person to press the alarm and await assistance.

It also added that in HDB blocks and multi-storey carparks in HDB estates, the alarm is linked to the Essential Maintenance Service Unit (EMSU), which would dispatch personnel to help anyone trapped in the lift.

Why can't it be made mandatory for the emergency contact number to be displayed within the lift car?

There may not always be people around to hear the alarm, and there is always the possibility that the link to EMSU is faulty.

It is definitely more reassuring and sensible to enable a trapped person to make a call to EMSU. This is also a second line of safety.

Another observation I have made with regard to lifts is that lift doors frequently close immediately after a person has exited, leaving insufficient time for the next person to exit. The second person invariably experiences the lift door shutting on him.

I hope the authorities can take note of these and improve matters, to heighten safety. A strict and ramped-up maintenance regime has to be enforced in the light of recent accidents.

Chia Yong Soong