101.1.1- Elevators

Elevator Types

• Hydraulic elevators operate using a piston filled with hydraulic fluid under pressure, typically limited to five or six stories.
• Machine rooms are usually located at the bottom of the elevator shaft for hydraulic elevators.
• Traction elevators operate using long hoisting cables and a traction sheave, with machine rooms usually located one or two floors above the elevator shaft.

Elevator Uses

• Passenger elevators are for transporting people in residential and commercial high-rises.
• Service elevators are oversized with extra height and wider doors.
• Freight elevators are for moving freight and large goods, not intended for passenger use.

Firefighter Elevators

• Firefighter elevators are designated in the Ontario Building Code (OBC) and Ontario Fire Code (OFC) for firefighter use during emergencies.
• OBC-compliant elevators are marked with a RED helmet, while OFC-compliant elevators are marked with a YELLOW helmet.

OBC-Compliant Firefighter Elevators

• Installed to OBC standards, identified by a RED HELMET located on or near the frame of the elevator, on the key switch plate, or near the elevator at the recall level.
• Required in residential, institutional buildings above 18 meters or 6 stories high, and in buildings classified as assembly, office, mercantile or industrial occupancies above 36 meters from grade.
• Must have a minimum floor area of 2.2 meters and accommodate a stretcher.
• Capable of bearing a 900 kg load and have an emergency power supply for at least 2 hours.
• Equipped with full in-car emergency service phase controls and a manual recall switch located in the entry-level lobby or Central Alarm Control Facility room.
• Can travel from ground floor to top floor in one minute.
• All power and control wiring are fire-rated for one hour.
• Elevator shafts cannot be used as a smoke vent.

OFC-Compliant Firefighter Elevators

• Installed to OFC standards, identified by a YELLOW helmet located on or near the elevator frame at the recall level, or in the car adjacent to the emergency switch.
• Required in buildings built prior to the 1975 Building Code.
• Marked with a YELLOW helmet.
• Do not have all the features of an OBC-compliant elevator.
• Do not require automatic return to the entry level floor.
• Control switch is marked with the word EMERGENCY in yellow.
• Floor area does not need to accommodate a stretcher.
• Shafts may not be totally smoke-proof.
• No emergency power supply is required.
• No minimum speed requirement.

Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA)

• Has overall responsibility for elevators in Ontario.
• Ensures compliance with the Ontario Building Code and Ontario Fire Code.

Modes of Elevator Operation

• Fire Service Operation: takes elevator control away from occupants through alarm activation or Firefighter-initiated action.
• Consists of two phases: Phase One (Recall) and Phase Two.
• Phase One (Recall): returns elevators to a safe floor away from the fire location.
• Can be initiated automatically from the fire alarm system or manually from a Firefighter Emergency Operation (FEO) key switch.
• Elevator doors open, and normal operation shuts down.
• Phase Two: gives firefighters complete control over elevator functions, including door opening and closing.
• Only possible after Phase One is complete.
• Firefighter must shine a light up the elevator shaft to check for smoke, water, or fire before entering Phase Two.
• Operation: Firefighters use a Phase Two switch, either two or three position, located inside the elevator.
• Normal position of the two-position switch is 'Off', 'On' or 'Fire Service' positions give firefighters control.
• Three-position switch has a 'Hold' position, ensuring the elevator remains static.
• Firefighters insert the FEO key, select a floor, and press and hold the 'Door Close' button until the doors close and the car begins to move.
• 'Peek' feature: releasing the button before doors close will reopen them.
• Elevator will remain at the desired floor until the sequence is repeated to close the doors again.

Automatic Service (Normal)

• Normal day-to-day operation where elevators respond to floor calls and deliver occupants to various levels.
• Unsuitable for emergency operations involving fire due to:
  • Doors not closing if smoke is encountered.
  • Elevators responding to floor calls from occupants.
  • They travel in one direction fully before reversing direction.
  • Doors opening automatically upon arrival at each floor.

Independent or Service Mode

• Typically used by building staff.
• Elevator no longer responds to floor call requests and is dedicated to a single user via a key.
• User presses a 'door close' button and selects a floor.
• Doors open automatically and remain open until the operator presses the door close button again.
• Independent or Service Mode is NOT designed for emergency operations.
• Door beam sensor is still active, preventing door closure if smoke is present.

Shunt Trip Devices and Warning Lights

• Shunt trips are designed to protect firefighters but can also trap them.
• Found in installations with sprinklers in the elevator shaft.
• Shunt trips kill power to the elevator motor before sprinklers activate.
• Warning lights on the elevator panel indicate Fire Service mode.
• Constant light indicates normal operation.
• Flashing light indicates an activated Fire Alarm Initiating Device, and the elevator should not be used.

Stack Effect and Elevators

• The Stack Effect is the natural movement of air in and out of a structure, which can cause smoke to spread through elevator shafts and disperse on different floors in the event of a fire.
• Elevator shaft doors are not airtight, allowing air currents to carry smoke into the hoist ways and disperse it on other floors.
• The Stack Effect can cause smoke to spread from a lower floor to upper floors on a cold day, or from an upper floor to lower floors on a hot day.
• Reverse Stack Effect: In response to a fire alarm, elevators will recall to the lobby and their doors will open, allowing smoke to rush into the hoist way and down the elevator shaft into the lobby.

Destination Dispatch Elevators

• A type of elevator system that uses a touchscreen or keypad to select desired floors, and then dispatches the elevator to pick up passengers.
• There are no call buttons in the lobby or floor buttons in the elevator car.
• The system tells passengers which elevator to stand in front of and dispatches that elevator to pick them up.
• Fire Service operation works the same as with traditional systems, with the exception of Phase Two controls and floor call buttons being behind a locked panel inside the car.

Firefighter Safety

• Firefighters should always take note of stairwell locations prior to entering an elevator, as stairwell locations and building layout may change from floor to floor.
• A firefighter should be assigned as Elevator Control and remain with the elevator during a fire incident to ensure proper operation of the elevator's functions.
• Firefighters should ensure the proper operation of the elevator's functions while in Phase Two, including Call Cancel, Door Open, and Door Close.
• If the elevator is not working properly, or if it is acting erratically, firefighters should exit the elevator as soon as safely possible and inform the Incident Commander.
• Hoist-ways should be checked for water, smoke, or fire before using the elevator, and if any of these conditions exist, another elevator or stairs must be used.

Ascending to the Fire Floor

• Firefighters should stop two floors below the reported alarm or fire for three reasons: Scissor Stairs, Access Stairs, and Safety Margin.
• Firefighters should take the opportunity to size up the floor plan, standpipe location, unit numbers, and stairwell locations while in a non-IDLH atmosphere two floors below the fire.
• The layout of the fire floor is typically the same as the floor below.