HydraSafe Brake: Coast-to-Coast Safety Events Recap and Innovations

HydraSafe Brake has been busy engaging the elevator industry with educational events, hands-on demonstrations, and new product innovations from coast to coast. From New York to California, elevator professionals are learning how HydraSafe’s advanced braking solutions can meet emerging safety codes and improve modernization projects. In this post, we recap recent events and highlight the latest product developments and upcoming initiatives that are driving elevator safety forward.

Educational Events and Demonstrations in NYC

HydraSafe Brake recently participated in an insightful educational Live Demonstration Event hosted by Claddagh Electronics Ltd. in Long Island City, NY. This live demo focused on how to meet the new NYC “Single Plunger” Brake Code requirements and the ASME A17.1 safety code for Unintended and Ascending Motion​. Attendees – including local elevator companies and inspectors – saw first-hand how HydraSafe’s system addresses these stringent safety standards, which are crucial for preventing uncontrolled elevator movement.

During the demonstration, the HydraSafe team introduced several key HydraSafe Brake products and features that make compliance achievable:

• HydraSafe Brake Easy Unit: A patented secondary brake that activates during unintended or upward overspeed motion, locking the elevator car directly to the rails for immediate stopping power​. This device is fully compliant with the latest code updates (ASME A17.1 & A17.3-2020) and is ideal for retrofitting older elevators with single-bottom cylinders​.

  
  

• HydraSafe Brake Plus Unit (with DLM features): An advanced all-in-one controller that not only triggers the brake but also provides Door Lock Monitoring (DLM) and other safety interlocks. The Plus Unit adds protections like door lock jumper prevention and pit encroachment monitoring​, ensuring the elevator can’t run with safety circuits bypassed. It effectively brings elevators that lack modern unintended-motion safeguards up to code.

  
  

• UCM Controls: Integrated control logic for Unintended Car Movement (UCM) prevention. This control system continuously monitors elevator motion and brake pressure, ready to intervene if an uncontrolled or uncommanded motion is detected. Together with the mechanical brake, it creates a compliant solution for stopping ascending cars and unintended movement in line with code requirements​.

  
  

HydraSafe Brake unit demonstrated at the NYC event. This secondary brake attaches to the elevator’s guide rail (blue assembly) and locks the car in place during a failure. It features an on-board hydraulic power pack and control box, and is uniquely designed to grip the rail directly​, rather than relying on existing machine brakes.

Access Elevator & Escalator Supply (AES) Engagements in San Francisco

With the East Coast session, HydraSafe Brake was also in the west for a successful Lunch & Learn session at Access Elevator and Escalator Supply (AES)’s San Francisco office. In this event, HydraSafe’s co-founder Kevin Cunningham led a presentation and live demonstration of the HydraSafe Brake solutions for AES’s team and invited Bay Area elevator contractors. Participants learned how HydraSafe’s technology can be deployed in the field and the specific benefits it offers for modernization projects and maintenance safety.

One major highlight of this partnership is that AES is now distributing and stocking HydraSafe Brake equipment in key regions – notably at their hubs in Las Vegas and the Bay Area. This means that HydraSafe Brake units and parts are available locally through AES, enabling faster delivery and support for elevator companies in those markets. The impact of this was immediately clear: some elevator contractors are already saving $25,000–$50,000 per elevator by choosing HydraSafe’s retrofit solution over more costly alternatives​. By having the product in stock regionally, AES helps companies avoid long lead times and costly full replacements, allowing them to upgrade elevators with HydraSafe brakes quickly and cost-effectively.

HydraSafe Brake Plus unit (control box with integrated safety features). This all-in-one device provides protections like door-lock monitoring, overspeed braking, and remote reset​. AES’s decision to stock these units in their Las Vegas and Bay Area facilities ensures local contractors can quickly obtain and install HydraSafe Brake systems for immediate safety improvements.

The session in San Francisco was well attended by AES staff and Bay Area customers, sparking valuable discussions about how HydraSafe’s products support their businesses. The HydraSafe team and AES representatives talked through real project scenarios – from modernizing aging hydraulics to enhancing the safety of new installations – and how HydraSafe Brake can simplify those jobs. The AES team’s enthusiasm and feedback were evident, underscoring the value of having a reliable safety solution readily available for West Coast elevator companies.

Coast-to-Coast Lunch & Learn Sessions

Together, the New York and San Francisco events amounted to a coast-to-coast knowledge exchange. Elevator contractors, consultants, and field technicians on both coasts participated in these Lunch & Learn sessions, turning them into interactive forums for safety innovation. The discussions spanned product applications, labor requirements, and installation simplicity. Contractors were particularly interested in the range of elevators that HydraSafe Brake can be applied to – from small residential lifts to high-rise commercial elevators – and how the device’s versatile design requires no special machine modifications or engineering re-work​. This flexibility means HydraSafe can be added to many elevator systems with minimal hassle.

Attendees also delved into the installation process and came away impressed by how straightforward it is. Unlike some extensive retrofits, installing a HydraSafe Brake is a quick procedure with minimal downtime required​. The units are designed for easy installation with no complex adjustments to the existing elevator equipment​, which translates to lower labor hours and a smoother workflow for elevator mechanics. In fact, a few elevator technicians who have already installed HydraSafe Brakes shared testimonials during the sessions – they noted that it was one of the easiest safety upgrades they’ve performed, often completed in a fraction of the time of alternative solutions. Their real-world feedback reinforced the product’s claims of significant labor savings and efficiency​, giving fellow contractors and consultants added confidence in specifying HydraSafe for upcoming projects.

These coast-to-coast events not only provided education but also created a dialogue. By hearing from peers who have used the product in the field, attendees gained practical insight into how HydraSafe Brake performs during installation and daily operation.

The consensus: the system is user-friendly, effective, and labor-efficient, making it an attractive option for companies striving to meet new safety codes without overburdening their crews or budgets.

Upcoming Initiatives and Innovations

HydraSafe Brake isn’t stopping at live events – the company is launching new initiatives to continue spreading knowledge and enhancing elevator safety. One exciting development is a monthly video series that HydraSafe will be rolling out. In this series, the team will dive deeper into why devices like the HydraSafe Brake are increasingly necessary in today’s industry, provide step-by-step looks at the installation process, and explore extended applications beyond the traditional elevator industry. Each month’s video will tackle topics such as code compliance drivers (for example, understanding the mandates behind unintended motion protection), installation tips and best practices from the field, and even use-cases in non-elevator settings. (HydraSafe’s technology is versatile – it’s already suitable for industrial lifts and other vertical transportation systems, not just standard building elevators​.) These concise videos will serve as an ongoing educational resource for elevator technicians, inspectors, and building owners alike, showing how the HydraSafe Brake works and the difference it can make in various scenarios.

In addition, HydraSafe Brake is deepening its collaboration with Claddagh Electronics in a new initiative to retrofit vintage elevators and bring them up to today’s safety standards. Many older elevators – especially those with single-plunger hydraulic jacks – do not meet current codes for unintended movement protection. Rather than forcing building owners into costly full replacements, HydraSafe and Claddagh are offering a solution to modernize these vintage lifts with secondary braking systems that meet code. For example, in New York City there is a mandate for single-cylinder hydraulic elevators to have a backup brake or device to prevent uncontrolled motion​. HydraSafe’s brake unit is the perfect fit for this need: it can be installed on legacy equipment to achieve compliance with modern safety codes (like NYC’s local requirements and ASME A17.3-2020) without major alterations​. By teaming up, HydraSafe and Claddagh will survey historic elevators, design retrofit kits, and install HydraSafe Brakes to ensure even decades-old elevators can stop reliably in the event of a failure. This initiative marries Claddagh’s local expertise and knowledge of older control systems with HydraSafe’s cutting-edge braking technology – a combination that promises to greatly improve safety in some of the oldest working elevators still in service.

Both the upcoming video series and the retrofit program with Claddagh demonstrate HydraSafe Brake’s commitment to proactive safety education and innovation. The company is not only providing a product, but also guiding the industry on why and how to use it effectively. Elevator safety standards are evolving, and HydraSafe is positioning itself as a leader in helping the community adapt. Whether it’s through informative videos, collaborative retrofits, or coast-to-coast training sessions, HydraSafe Brake is dedicated to elevating safety for everyone – one brake at a time.