Minimum Standards Adoption of Nationally Recognized Safety Codes

Minimum Standards Adoption of Nationally Recognized Safety Codes (1) If not previously adopted, the Administrator shall automatically adopt the latest editions of the following standards six months from their effective date: (a) THE NATIONAL SAFETY CODE FOR ELEVATORS AND ESCALATORS (ASME A.17.1) (b) THE NATIONAL SAFETY CODE FOR EXISTING ELEVATORS AND ESCALATORS (ASME A.17.3 [2011]) (i) ASME A.17.3 [2011] shall only apply to a conveyance when an alteration is being performed pursuant to Section 8.7 of ASME A.17.1. If an alteration is not being performed, ASME A.17.1 shall apply and a conveyance shall be required to comply with the ASME A.17.1 edition that was in effect at the time the conveyance was installed. (c) THE NATIONAL SAFETY STANDARD FOR PLATFORM LIFTS AND STAIRWAY CHAIRLIFTS (ASME A.18.1) (d) THE NATIONAL SAFETY STANDARD FOR THE QUALIFICATIONS OF ELEVATOR INSPECTORS (ASME QEI-1) (e) AUTOMATED PEOPLE MOVER STANDARDS (ASCE 21) (2) Hydraulic elevators that have any portion of the cylinder buried in the ground and that do not have a double cylinder or a cylinder with a safety bulkhead shall: (a) have the cylinder replaced with a double cylinder or a cylinder with a safety bulkhead protected from corrosion by one or more of the following methods: (i) monitored cathodic protection; (ii) a coating to protect the cylinder from corrosion that will withstand the installation process; (iii) by a protective plastic casing immune to galvanic or electrolic action, salt water, and other known underground conditions; or (b) be provided with a device meeting the requirements of Section 3.5 or a device arranged to operate in the down direction at an over speed not exceeding 125% of rated speed. The device shall mechanically act to limit the maximum car speed to the buffer striking speed, or stop the elevator car with rated load with a deceleration not to exceed 32.2ft/s2(9.8m/s2), and shall not automatically reset. Actuation of the device shall cause power to be removed from the pump motor and control valves until manually reset; or (c) have other means acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction to protect against unintended movement of the car as a result of uncontrolled fluid loss; or (d) have hydraulic jacks pressure tested annually. Any elevator with a hydraulic jack determined to be leaking underground shall be immediately shut off until the jack unit is replaced. (3) The following standards shall govern restricted openings of hoistway doors and/or car doors on passenger elevators. (a) When a car is outside the unlocking zone, the hoistway doors or car doors shall be so arranged that the hoistway doors or car doors cannot be opened more than 4 in. (102 mm) from inside the car. (b) When the car is outside the unlocking zone, the car doors shall be operable from outside the car without the use of special tools. (c) The unlocking zone shall extend from the landing floor level to a point no greater than 18 in. (457 mm) above or below the landing floor level. (d) All existing elevators that are not in compliance with this rule have six months after the inspection report is received by the department to be in compliance. (4) The following procedures shall be followed for Temporary Certificates of Operation. (a) A temporary certificate of operation may be issued at the discretion of the chief inspector if requested by the elevator contractor and the inspector. This request must be submitted by the inspector in the form of an inspection report, along with the required fee. (b) The elevator must have all safety devices properly tested and tagged by a licensed elevator contractor and checked and witnessed by a licensed inspector. (c) When the inspection report and fee are submitted to this office, the inspector is certifying the elevator is safe for this type service. (5) In order to reduce the hazards associated with water on energized circuits from the activation of sprinklers in the elevator equipment room, new elevator installations, and modernizations/alterations will require the shunt trip to each elevator disconnecting means to be located outside the elevator equipment room. (a) It shall de-energize both the line side and load side of the affected elevator’s disconnecting means. (b) In cases of extreme difficulty in locating the shunt trip outside the machine room, and with prior written approval from the administrator, locating the shunt trip in the machine room may be approved, if the disconnect is a rainproof NEMA 3R or better enclosure. (c) Control circuits to shut down elevator power shall be monitored for presence of operating voltage. Loss of voltage to the control circuit for the disconnecting means shall cause a supervisory signal to be indicated at the control unit and required remote enunciators.