Awarded Smart Escalator Maintenance Safety System: Improving Industrial Safety
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02 Jul 2026
Generously supported by Dr Roy CHUNG, Founder of the Bright Future Charitable Foundation, the Smart Escalator Maintenance Safety System (SEMSS), developed by students of the VTC Engineering Discipline, is designed to reduce industrial accidents associated with escalator maintenance and to strengthen safety awareness among workers.
The system’s excellence has earned the Gold Award and the Most Popular Innovation Award in the Secondary School Category of the 2nd OSH Innovation & Technology Award organised by the Occupational Safety & Health Council, a remarkable achievement that reflects the creativity and technical capability of VTC Engineering students. The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) has even expressed its intention to promote the system to the industry, underscoring its potential to enhance escalator work safety.
The SEMSS team consists of Engineering students of Higher Diploma, Diploma of Vocational Education and Diploma of Vocational Baccalaureate programmes. Key features include:
- Al camera for real-time detection of personnel within hazardous zones paired with a smart barrier that provides clear visual status indication
- Delay starter mechanism providing a controlled time buffer before activation, allowing operators sufficient reaction time
- Two-button starter requiring simultaneous confirmation from both ends of the escalator, ensuring coordinated operation and eliminating risks caused by miscommunication.
On 2 July, Dr Chung attended the Engineering Discipline Project Exhibition 2026 at IVE (Sha Tin) campus, where the SEMSS was prominently showcased and Dr Chung witnessed firsthand the students’ innovative work. The exhibition provided an excellent platform to demonstrate the system’s practical value and technological innovation, while fostering meaningful exchanges with industry professionals and laying a solid foundation for its broader adoption and future development across the industry.
The Bright Future Charitable Foundation is empowering students to develop practical solutions to real-world challenges. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Dr Chung for his unwavering support and contribution to improve the working conditions within the escalator maintenance sector.
