Earth-shattering kaboom

[azurelunatic]

Me two weeks ago: "Technicians will be performing a routine 5-year safety test of the elevators. ... This is not expected to cause an audible disturbance inside [Borg] space."

Me today: "Soooooo... it turns out that it does 'cause an audible disturbance' because they load the elevators up with bricks and then drop them."

My people prairie-dogged to see what was going on.

Comments

[mecurtin]

So, like this?

Also, I LOLed & really want a site with a LIKE button.

[azurelunatic]

The volume in the video on headphones doesn't do it justice.

[frobisherw]

I have a proposal to add a LIKE button (well really, a more general reaction button), here: https://github.com/dreamwidth/dw-free/issues/1941#issuecomment-445495596

Your thoughts and encouragement (or objections) welcomed!

[kaberett]

STORY TIME WITH AZZ

[azurelunatic]

THEY DO IT AGAIN TOMORROW, WEDNESDAY, AND THURSDAY

I AM EXCITE

[silveradept]

That can't have been a good sound to hear that many floors up.

[azurelunatic]

It was startling! I put down my lunch and scooted off to reassure my people.

[vass]

That sounds like a fun part of the technicians' job.

[azurelunatic]

Oh I just bet!!!

[momijizukamori]

That sounds both extremely startling and very interesting, heh.

[azurelunatic]

I looked at the elevator when it was loaded up with these jobbies and went "Huh." I assumed there was some sensible purpose.

Then after the kaboom, I went and looked up the weights and the paperwork for Seattle 5 year elevator tests.

[momijizukamori]

That is 100% something I would do too, I think.

[frobisherw]

That is an EXCELLENT link, BTW. The same company offers two forms of heavy-things for testing cranes -- a cheaper one made of steel, and a more expensive one filled with lead, which they recommend when space is a concern, because lead is EVEN HEAVIER.

[krait]

That sounds like fun! Maybe I should have trained to be an elevator technician.

[azurelunatic]

Risks include dropping your phone 23 floors down the shaft, like one of the colleagues of this team did a few months ago.

[krait]

Ahahaha, if that was supposed to be a deterrent, I think it backfired rather spectacularly. *casually nudges cellphone closer to the hole*

[jecook]

Testing the emergency stop systems? that better make a lotta noise...

[azurelunatic]

Testing a whole bunch of stuff! They get to test the Problem Child elevator tomorrow.

[freshbakedlady]

What a spectacular concept! A worthwhile badnoise experience. Also, I have now seen the phrase "Problem Child elevator," and my heart is filled with fear.

[azurelunatic]

Mostly the door is set to beep in a very unfriendly way the moment anyone crosses the threshold, but it's also had more than its share of miscellaneous problems. I get to see which ones the techs work on, because I sit in the top floor lobby.

[archangelbeth]

I will have to tell my offspring how they test elevators! Offspring has paranoia about elevators, and I would like to reassure them.

[azurelunatic]

Yeah! So they load the thing up -- the elevator had at least 6, maybe more, of the 500lb carts of bricks. Then they do something to make the elevator drop. When the machinery detects it's going faster than allowed, CHUNK the safeties kick in. It sounds like someone dropping a pallet of bricks and the building shakes, which is okay because it's designed for earthquake safety so one elevator is nothing.

[archangelbeth]

That is kinda awesome! If probably bad for concentrating on anything else...

Sent from my iPhone

[alatefeline]

Mwahahahahahaha. Oh gods. I NEEDED a brick joke today. Thanks.

[jecook]

*giggles*

[azurelunatic]

I learned a new term today!

[alatefeline]

:D

[jeshyr]

I'm not up to typing just now, so instead I have this copy-pasted message to let you know I greatly appreciated this post <3