Introduction to Elevator Types and Emergency Use

1. INTRODUCTION During normal operation elevators move people and goods quickly and efficiently throughout the building. During emergencies firefighters rely on elevators to shuttle crews and equipment to all levels of a building. Firefighters manage the elevators in an emergency and need to be familiar with their operation in all modes of service. 2. TYPES OF ELEVATORS The two most common types of elevators are Hydraulic and Traction. Hydraulic Elevators Hydraulic elevators operate by use of a piston filled with hydraulic fluid under pressure that lifts and lowers the elevator. Hydraulic elevator service is normally limited to five or six stories. Elevator Machine rooms for Hydraulic Elevators are usually located at the bottom of the elevator shaft. Traction elevators Traction elevators operate by use of long hoisting cables that pass over a traction sheave. The cable is attached to the elevator car and a counterweight. Elevator machine rooms for Traction Elevators are usually one or two floors above the top floor served. 3. ELEVATOR USES Passenger Elevators The most common type of elevator used for the transportation of people in residential and commercial High Rises. Passenger elevator shafts are often designed to accommodate multiple cars. Service Elevators Service Elevators may be passenger type elevators but will usually be oversized having extra height and wider doors. Freight Elevators Freight Elevators are intended for moving freight and large goods and not intended for passenger use. Freight Elevators are typically superior to passenger cars in square footage, height and weight capacity and are often designed with a single dedicated elevator shaft. Initial crews should avoid using Freight Elevators as they are slow, provide no protection from heat and smoke and may not service the entire building. 4. FIREFIGHTER ELEVATORS Technical Standards and Safety Authority The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) is the authority having jurisdiction in the Province of Ontario for all elevators. The Ontario Building Code and Ontario Fire Code provide general guidelines for the installation and operation of elevating devices to meet the needs of fire fighters. It is the TSSA that has overall responsibility for elevators. The Ontario Building Code (OBC) The Ontario Building Code requires one designated fire fighter elevator to be installed in residential and institutional buildings greater than 18 meters in height from grade or about 6 stories. Other buildings, classified as assembly, office, mercantile or industrial occupancies, also require a designated Fire Fighter Elevator, but only in buildings higher than 36 meters from grade. Fire Fighter Elevators installed to OBC standards can be identified by a RED HELMET located: • • • on or near the frame of the elevator on the key switch plate near the elevator at the recall level on a similar switch on the control panel, in the elevator car Red Helmet (Ontario Building Code - OBC) An elevator identified with a RED helmet indicates it is designated as a firefighter elevator under the Ontario Building Code and is equipped with safety features when in Fire Service Mode: • • • • • • • • • • the car services all floors. it has manual and automatic recall of designated car and any other cars in the same shaft. the car is equipped with full in car emergency service phase controls. the control switch inside the car will be marked with the word EMERGENCY or FIRE OPERATIONS, in red. minimum floor area must be 2.2 M and it must be large enough to accommodate a stretcher. the car must be capable of bearing a 900 kg load. must have an emergency power supply of minimum two hours duration. elevator shafts cannot be used as a smoke vent. all power and control wiring are fire rated for one hour. the car must be able to travel from ground floor or main entry level to the top floor in one minute. The manual recall switch must be located in the entry-level lobby or at the Central Alarm Control Facility room, if present. Ontario Fire Code (OFC) The Ontario Fire Code requires buildings that were built prior to the 1975 Building Code be updated or retrofitted with a designated Fire Fighter Elevator. Firefighter elevators installed to OFC standards can be identified by a yellow helmet located: • • On or near the elevator frame at the recall level In the car adjacent to the emergency switch. Yellow Helmet (Ontario Fire Code - OFC) An elevator identified with a YELLOW helmet indicates it is designated as a firefighter's elevator under the Ontario Fire Code but does not have all the features of an OBC compliant elevator. • • • • • • • • elevators are not required to automatically return to the entry level floor control switch in the elevator is marked by the word EMERGENCY in yellow. car floor area does not have to accommodate a stretcher shafts may not be totally smoke proof car is not required to bear 900 kg elevator may not have an emergency power supply equipment is not required to be fire rated no minimum speed is required