Electronic Contracting EccoGram

Elevator Fire Alarm Code Requirements

    As you know, several regulatory and standards bodies, along with certain legislation, all affect fire alarm codes.  Actual fire alarm codes are local and are created when a city, county, state or other local authority adopts the various regulations and standards and creates local fire alarm code.

    At Electronic Contracting, fire alarm systems are an important part of our business.  For this reason, we do our best to keep up with national standards and local codes.  We are members of the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) and we purchase documents from ANSI (American National Standards Institute), ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) and other standards bodies as needed.  We have several NICET (National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies) certified fire protection engineers including two at NICET Level IV and a group of state-licensed fire alarm inspectors. 

    With all of that as background, we will present here our best understanding of the current fire alarm codes for elevators.  Remember that these codes may vary from locality to locality depending on what version of the various standards were adopted locally.  Also, remember that a local AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction), such as a fire marshal, has the right to interpret the code within certain boundaries.  Thus, what we say here must be taken as guidelines and not as absolute fact.  You may wish to obtain copies of the documents referenced in this ECCO Gram to understand the context within which these codes were written and to stay updated on other sections of the code.

Elevator “Capture” to Primary or Alternate Floor

    In the event of a fire alarm initiated by the elevator lobby smoke detectors, the fire alarm system must send the elevator to the “primary capture” floor (also called the “main egress” floor) which is usually the building main lobby floor.  If the primary capture floor is in alarm (fire in the main lobby) the fire alarm must send the elevator to the “alternate capture” floor.

    Upon reaching either the primary or alternate capture floor, the elevator opens its doors and stays at this floor until reset via a key switch located in the elevator lobby.

    There are two additional events that must trigger the primary or alternate capture action.  The first event is an alarm triggered by a smoke detector in the elevator machine room.  In this event, the fire alarm system must send the elevator to the primary capture floor.  However, if the elevator machine room is on the primary capture floor, then the fire alarm system must send the elevator to the alternate capture floor.

    The second event is an alarm triggered by a smoke detector at the top of the elevator hoist way.  This smoke detector is only required if there is a fresh air vent and damper at the top of the elevator hoist way.  In this event, the fire alarm must send the elevator to the primary capture floor and also open the shaft damper.

    A conventional, zoned fire alarm system accomplishes these actions by assigning selected zones to the primary capture floor condition, the alternate capture floor condition, the machine room smoke detector condition and the shaft damper smoke detector condition.  Fire alarm relays assigned to these zones activate the required elevator actions.  An intelligent, addressable fire alarm system accomplishes these actions through programming and addressable relays. 

Elevator “Shunt Trip”

    In the event of a fire alarm triggered by heat detectors in the elevator machine room or hoist way, the fire alarm system must immediately stop the elevator, even if it is between floors.  A conventional, zoned fire alarm system accomplishes this by assigning a zone to the shunt trip condition or by the use of dual-contact heat detectors.  An intelligent, addressable fire alarm system accomplishes the same thing through programming and an addressable relay. 

Disable Battery Lowering

    In certain medical facilities, elevator safety codes require a battery backup system to take the elevator to the next lower floor in the event of a facility power failure.  In the event of an elevator “shunt trip” condition, described above, the fire alarm system must disable battery lowering.  A conventional, zoned fire alarm system accomplishes this by assigning a second relay to the shunt trip condition.  An intelligent, addressable fire alarm system accomplishes the same thing through programming and an addressable relay.

Cab Lamp Activation

    Elevators sold after January 1^st, 2001, have a lamp in the shape of a fireman’s helmet for the purpose of providing information to a fire chief.  If this lamp is “on” in a steady (non-flashing) condition, it indicates “fire service mode” where the fire chief has manual control of the elevator.  If this lamp is “on” in a flashing condition, it indicates an alarm condition triggered by a smoke detector in the elevator equipment room or hoist way (see Elevator Capture, above).  The fire alarm system must activate the flashing lamp condition through a relay.  A conventional, zoned fire alarm system accomplishes this by assigning a zone for cab lamp activation.  An intelligent, addressable fire alarm system accomplishes the same thing through programming and an addressable relay.

Elevators and Intelligent,

Addressable Fire Alarm Systems

    To accomplish the actions discussed so far, a conventional, zoned fire alarm system must use as many as five zones – just for the elevator!  In contrast, an intelligent, addressable fire alarm system can accomplish the same actions through programming using addressable relays.  Because this is a much more efficient and flexible arrangement, we highly recommend an intelligent, addressable fire alarm system for buildings with even a single elevator.

Additional Elevator Code Requirements

    Smoke and heat detectors are not required in the elevator pit unless the conduit system in the pit is not NEMA 4R rated in which case smoke and heat detectors must be installed in the pit. 

    If there is a sprinkler head at the top of the elevator hoist way, the fire alarm system must include both a smoke detector and a heat detector at the top of the elevator hoist way.  The heat detector must be mounted within two feet of the sprinkler head.

    If there is a sprinkler head in the elevator machine room, the fire alarm system must include both a smoke detector and a heat detector in the machine room.  The heat detector must be mounted within two feet of the sprinkler head.

    Smoke detection is always required in the elevator machine room and within five feet of the elevator door at every elevator lobby. 

Heat detectors cannot be used for elevator capture.

References

    Please copy this EccoGram for your colleagues and feel free to call any of our offices if you have questions about these codes or if we can provide you with any other information about fire alarm systems.