Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) Director-General Mokhtar Musri said when it comes to issues of safety surrounding escalators, the “safest hands are those of the parents”.

Speaking at the launch of an escalator safety campaign here, Mokhtar said DOSH was going to implement more safety signs and organise more campaigns to raise awareness on the issue. Such campaigns will be held nationwide, he added.

“However, if parents and members of the public remain indifferent to children’s safety, then nothing will change.”

The launch was followed by demonstrations for children on how to get on and alight from an escalator.

According to Mokhtar, there were 34 escalator accidents from 2011 to 2015, and four so far this year.

He said the four accidents this year were entirely due to the lack of attention paid to the children, who were left to play around the escalators.

Mokhtar also urged malls to make announcements every hour or so to remind parents to not let their children run around escalators.

Mother of two Jaclyn Wong, who was at the launch, agreed that parents should not be too “carefree” when looking after their kids.

“It doesn’t matter where we are. Whether we are in a mall or even in the playground, we as parents have to be more responsible.”