Elevator Controls and Smoke Detection Interfaces
(Pending proposals to modify operations)
Southern California Fire Prevention Officers Division, Fire Protection
Equipment and Devices Committee and others concerned met with the DOSH
and State Fire Marshal to discuss elevator safety issues and solutions.
In regards to the elevator controls and smoke detection interfaces document,
the following changes to elevator equipment operation are being proposed
to Title 8:
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When any required smoke detector initiates Phase I operation, additionally,
the firefighters helmet icon in the elevator car will illuminate steadily.
Only the hoistway or machine room smoke detector(s) shall cause the firefighters
helmet icon in the elevator car to blink intermittently. This is an indication
that the car may be traveling in an untenable hoistway, or operating under
undesirable conditions. The blinking helmet icon shall occur regardless
of which Phase of operation the elevator is in (Phase I or II.)
-
Elevator machine room heat detectors and electrical "shunt trip" feature
shall be deleted. It has been agreed that required smoke detectors are
presumed to operate before heat detectors. It has been agreed that since
the firefighters helmet icon will specifically indicate an undesirable
elevator operation is in process by blinking, and that it should be the
fire service’ discretion to continue to operate the car under these conditions
or not, that the shunt trip is then, unnecessary. It was agreed by all
that a worse condition could occur during Phase II operation; that a "shunt
trip" is operated and possibly traps firefighters and evacuation-assisted
occupants between floors.
In addition to the safety items above, a proposal to require elevator plans
and specifications to be submitted for approval prior to the elevator installation
will be prepared. This will allow the DOSH to determine if the elevator
car meets the non-combustibility requirement and therefore, eliminate the
sprinkler(s) from the top of the hoistway. Eliminating these sprinkler(s)
will allow us to eliminate the smoke detector(s) in the hoistway as well;
which have become a maintenance and testing nightmare.
It is also being considered, to remove the sprinkler(s) from within
2 ft. of the elevator pit. It has been suggested that these sprinklers
were installed because of debris that could ignite from smoking materials
carelessly discarded, but that now that California does not allow smoking
inside of buildings, this may not be an issue any longer. A survey is being
conducted to discern justification for a proposal to delete these sprinklers.
There was a separate concern about mixing water with hydraulic fluid (if
applicable) and controls placed on containment of it.
Last but not least, a proposal is being submitted to increase the car
opening to accept a standard gurney. This would change the opening from
81" to 86". DOSH did not have any objection with this proposed change,
as it is not a safety issue. However, they did suggest that this is going
to be a struggle to have embraced by some in the construction community.