Ski lifts usually have two brakes, a Service Brake which is located near the motor (input side of the gearbox) and an Emergency Brake which acts directly on the rim of the Bull Wheel. Both brakes are fail safe in that if the power is removed, the brake will be applied. The Emergency Brake is not used for normal stopping but only used for fault or emergency conditions.
All Ski Lifts have some form of rollback prevention. Some have a mechanical arrangement which physically prevents the lift from rolling back and others have rollback detection which will apply the Emergency Brake if the lift starts to roll back. The rollback detection will operate after only a few inches of rollback. Clearly some of the safety systems were not working on this lift.
Doppelmayr is a European company who is a world leader in ski lift manufacturing. They have lifts all over the world including many in North America. I am sure there was adequate safety systems designed into the lift but if it is not maintained properly, accidents will happen.
All Ski Lifts have some form of rollback prevention. Some have a mechanical arrangement which physically prevents the lift from rolling back and others have rollback detection which will apply the Emergency Brake if the lift starts to roll back. The rollback detection will operate after only a few inches of rollback. Clearly some of the safety systems were not working on this lift.
Doppelmayr is a European company who is a world leader in ski lift manufacturing. They have lifts all over the world including many in North America. I am sure there was adequate safety systems designed into the lift but if it is not maintained properly, accidents will happen.