Elevator code requirements are necessary to meet if you wish to offer customers an easier, more relaxing means of travel through your building. If your elevator is inspected and deemed inaccessible or dangerous in any way, you will be issued certain requirements to meet the standards of your area’s expectations or risk facing fines and even litigation.
ARE YOUR ELEVATOR SYSTEMS UP TO CURRENT ASME STANDARDS?
As the elevator industry continues to evolve, modern technology evolves with it. With new, innovative elevator systems being developed every year, it is more important than ever that builders and elevator inspectors understand the ins and outs of a thorough, tested and proven safety code.
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) has developed “eight major codes addressing safety in design, construction, installation, operation, inspections, testing, maintenance, alteration, and repair of elevators,” as well as for other types of lifts, escalators, and moving walks. The ASME elevator safety codes were created to set a standard in the industry to minimize accident and injury, as well as costly downtime. Additionally, these standards seek to provide consistency in elevator construction and installation across North America.
Latest ASME A17.1/CSA B44 Safety Code Standards Requirements
ASME A17.1/CSA B44 defines safety for all aspects of elevators and similar conveyances. Updated regularly, it’s the latest set of standards and important code changes for elevator maintenance and repair.
The most recent update is to Section 2.27.1 – Car Emergency Signaling Devices. The updated code requires:
- Two-way message display in the elevator cab for the hearing and/or speech impaired.
- A means for authorized emergency personnel to view video footage of passengers anywhere in the cab.
- A means activated by authorized emergency personnel to change the cab message to indicate help is on-site if over 60 feet of travel.
These changes are meant to better assist riders who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired during emergencies. Emergency personnel will be better able to view inside the elevator via a camera to assess the situation and provide non-verbal communication.
Relevant equipment to comply with the update includes:
- Two-way communications camera within the elevator cab.
- Digital display with networking components.
- BCC Panel mounted in lobby (60’+ travel distance only).
- Hoistway and machine room wiring.
- Machine room networking components.
New Hampshire has already adopted the new standards and other states are sure to follow. Do you know if you are able to comply with the new requirements when they apply to you?
How Can Stanley Elevator Help?
Since our very first elevator installation in Manchester, New Hampshire, in 1951, the Stanley Elevator team has been dedicated to excellence in every step of every elevator project, from the initial design all the way to regular maintenance and beyond. Our technicians and engineers are experts on ASME safety codes and standards, as well as all elevator safety codes required by the laws of your specific New England state. And with more trucks on the road than the other elevator service companies, rest assured we’ll be there when — and where — you need us.
Access to State Regulations and Resources
Stanley Elevators can help you understand and stay in compliance with elevator safety codes in your Boston-based building, or facilities in other locations across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Maine. Common general requirements and concerns for elevators include:
- Being equipped with a code data plate for elevator inspections.
- Size and stability must be tested to ensure that the weight requirements are maintained and made clear to potential passengers.
- Meeting the required means of safety and efficiency for disabled or special-needs passengers as set by the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- Regular inspections to check for wear or faulty construction that require replacement parts and/or light to heavy repairs.
We can provide access to elevator code resources in any state we work in. Our team has decades of experience interpreting elevator code to ensure that your elevator is properly configured to pass the rigorous safety and code inspections of each state. Please feel free to contact us or browse the resources below to answer code-related questions:
(Embedded Graphic Links to State Resources from https://www.stanleyelevator.com/state-and-national-code-resources/)
SCHEDULE AN ELEVATOR SAFETY CODE CONSULTATIOn
By making necessary code-compliant adjustments, there are many improvements that will result in overall benefits, including:
- Improved comfort and smoothness of ride.
- Greater speed and efficiency with arriving to the correct floor.
- Better security with fully functioning emergency equipment such as lighting and phones.
With the proper maintenance and attention, your elevator can remain up to code and meet the requirements of a safe building. This, in turn, will improve the look and feel of your facility as a whole.
Ensuring elevator safety is a process that begins at the design stage and continues throughout the lifespan of your elevator system. Whether you’re a builder or architect, a property manager looking to keep your elevators up to code, or a building owner with the safety of your passengers as your top priority, we can help.