PDF: Elevator Malfunctions and Emergencies

Standard Operating Guideline (SOG) Response to Elevator Malfunctions and Emergencies Effective Date: 08/01/2013 Procedure Number 04-29A Revised Date: 01/15/2013 Number of Pages 03...

Standard Operating Guideline (SOG) Response to Elevator Malfunctions and Emergencies Effective Date: 08/01/2013 Procedure Number 04-29A Revised Date: 01/15/2013 Number of Pages 03 1. Overview The Salt Lake City Fire Department has established the following guideline for safe and efficient mitigation of elevator emergencies. 2. Guideline It should be understood that most elevator responses are due to elevator malfunction and not a true emergency. The need for rapid extrication of the trapped people due to an actual emergency should be determined by the first arriving officer on scene. Most elevator incidents can be accomplished without damaging the elevator, and forcing the doors should only be used in an emergency and as a last resort. Per the SLCFD dispatch matrix an Engine Company or a Truck Company may be the first unit to arrive at a reported elevator malfunction/emergency. The following steps are for the first arriving company whether it is an Engine or a truck. The Truck and Heavy Rescue responsibilities are then outlined. If the first arriving officer is on an Engine it is strongly recommended to call for a Truck Company early. First arriving apparatus responsibilities Company Assignments Captain A. Face-to-face with building Security, Maintenance, or Manager. B. Confirm that an elevator maintenance company has been dispatched and request ETA. C. Retrieve elevator keys from lobby box and stay in lobby for phase 1 operation. Firefighter 1 A. Respond to location of stalled car. B. Communicate with people in the car and determine their condition. Report condition of occupants and if true emergency to Captain. C. Advises Captain if there is drop key access or not. (If no drop key access, the Captain will call for a truck company) D. Stay at car and communicate plan for removal and progress to occupants. Firefighter 2 A. Respond to the lobby with the Captain. B. Size up the hoist way/lobby door. Look for the presence of a hole for the drop key. C. Responds to the floor where the elevator is stalled with the Captain if the reboot and Phase 1 are unsuccessful. Engineer A. Respond to the elevator machine room. (Located on the bottom floor for a Hydraulic Elevator and on the top floor or roof for a Traction Sheave Elevator.) B. Locate the main power switch for the stalled elevator and prepare to reboot (power the elevator down for a minimum of 30 seconds) the elevator at the direction of the Captain. 04-29A Response to Elevator Malfunctions and Emergencies, Page 1 of 3  C. Perform lock out / tag out or stay by the power switch to ensure it is not turned back on, if the reboot and phase 1 recall are not successful. Removal Procedure A. Communicate with trapped occupants have them push in the emergency stop button if equipped and pull it back out. Also have them push the car doors together both can cause the car to stop. If this is unsuccessful communicate with the Captain and move to step two. B. Captain instructs the Engineer in the elevator mechanical room to turn off the main power to the elevator and turn it back on after a minimum of 30 seconds; it may take up to 5 minutes for the elevator to reboot. C. If this is unsuccessful in restarting the elevator to normal function, the Officer attempts to recall the elevator to the lobby with Phase 1 activation. If this does not work, turn off Phase 1, advise the Engineer to turn the main power off to the elevator, and the Captain and Firefighter 2 respond to the floor where the elevator is stalled. D. Engineer Locks Out/ Tags Out the main power to the elevator at the direction of the Officer. If no lock out kit is available the Engineer stays by the control panel. Only shut off the main power switch (the large breaker), leave the lighting and ventilation on (the small breaker). E. On the floor where the stalled car is located the Officer directs one Firefighter to use the drop key if the elevator is equipped with an access hole. Do not open doors until the power is turned off. If the elevator is located within the landing zone, (18 inches above or below the floor) the hoist way doors will open the car door if not the car doors will have to be opened separately. F. Assist occupants out of the elevator one at a time. Do not restore power to the elevator, leave lock out in place if you can. Advise building management that the elevator is out of service until their mechanic places it back in service. G. If at any time the elevator mechanic arrives, advise them of all your actions to that point. Truck Company Responsibilities Truck Captain Face-to-face with first arriving officer to ensure that all above has been completed and ensure that Lock out / Tag out is in place. Asses Hoist way door and make determination for Top picking, Side picking, Paddle, or Poling if not equipped with drop key access. Removal Procedure A. If car is within landing zone (18 inches above or below the floor) use top picking, side picking, paddle tool, or poling from another elevator or the floor above to open the hoist way door. Assist occupants out of elevator one at a time. B. If the elevator is not within the landing zone use poling or picking to open the hoist way door. If you determine to bring the occupants out of the elevator consider placing a firefighter in the car to assist occupants and block any openings into the hoist way before bringing them out. C. Drifting the car hydraulic. If the Officer decides that drifting is necessary, advise passengers in the elevator that they will begin to move. One Firefighter and the Engineer go to the elevator mechanical room (one to accomplish the drift and one to communicate with the Officer), and the Officer and other Firefighter to the bottom floor that the elevator services. Prior to drifting ensure lock out/ tag out. Consider ground or tactical channel on the radio. The Officer and Firefighter open the hoist way door on the lowest level. The Officer then communicates to begin the drift. The Firefighter drifting the car opens the valve allowing the car to travel down. Keep everyone out of the shaft and watch the car come down, the Officer gives a countdown to the crew in the mechanical room to stop the car at the threshold level. Open the car door and remove occupants. 04-29A Response to Elevator Malfunctions and Emergencies, Page 2 of 3 D. Drifting the car traction sheave. If the Officer decides that drifting is necessary, advise passengers in the elevator that they will begin to move. Two Firefighters with Halligans and the Engineer to the elevator mechanical room (Two to accomplish the drift and one to communicate with the Officer). Consider ground or tactical channel on the radio. Prior to drifting ensure lock out/ tag out. The Truck Officer directs a Firefighter to open the hoist way door on the next floor above the stalled elevator in case it rises when the brake is released, and the floor below in case it travels down. In the control room when the Truck officer gives the order one Firefighter places their Halligan on the brake and completely releases it, the other Firefighter places their Halligan on the other side of the brake gently feathering it out. Using a slow controlled speed they move the elevator. Keep everyone out of the shaft and watch the elevator move. The Firefighter at the landing gives the mechanical room Firefighters a countdown over the radio to stop the elevator at the threshold level. Remove the occupants one at a time. E. Do not restore power to the elevator, leave lock out in place if you can. Advise building management that the elevator is out of service until their mechanic places it back in service. F. Do not allow anyone to enter the elevator shaft for any reason. If the Officer determines that the shaft needs to be entered call for the Heavy Rescue. Heavy Rescue Team Responsibilities HRT Captain Face-to-face with officer in charge and determine the need to enter the elevator shaft and ensure that Lock out / Tag out is in place. The need to enter the elevator shaft shall be determined by the HRT Captain and shall include but not be limited to: 1. Top hatch removal of occupants. 2. Car to car removal of occupants. 3. Rope system removal of occupants. 4. Securing of car in the elevator shaft prior to removal of occupants. 04-29A Response to Elevator Malfunctions and Emergencies, Page 3 of 3