LADDER
TASK
MANUAL


































Chapter
10:

ELEVATOR
RESCUE


















1/2009










I. INTRODUCTION


II. TYPES
OF
ELEVATORS

A. Cable
Elevators


1. Drum
Type

2. Traction
Type

B. Hydraulic
Elevators

C. Passenger
Elevators


D. Freight
Elevators


III. CONSTRUCTION


A. Elevator
Doors

B. Gib
Blocks

C. Brakes


IV. RESCUE
PROCEDURES


A. General
Guidelines

B. Moving
an
elevator


1. Hydraulic
Elevators

2. Cable
Elevators

C. Adjacent
Car
Rescues

1. Emergency
Roof
Exit


2. Emergency
Side
Exit

D. Forcing
Doors

1. Air
Lifting
Bags


2. Removing
Gib
Blocks

E. Breaching
Elevator
Shafts

V. OTHER
ELEVATOR
EMERGENCIES


A. Elevator
Fires

1. Equipment
Room
Fires

2. Elevator
Shaft
Fires

B. Power
Outage


VI. ESCALATORS


VII. DEFINITIONS






INTRODUCTION


Although
the
concepts
of
elevators
transporting
people
are
relatively
simple,
extrication
of

trapped
occupants
can
often
be
difficult.

Consider
the
following
possible
conditions:


• An
elevator
may
have
stopped
between
floors.

• Loss
of
electrical
power
may
result
in
a
dark
elevator
with
no
ventilation.

• Passengers
in
the
stuck
elevator
may
be
hysterical,
panicked,
or
in
need
of
medical
care.


These
conditions
are
further
complicated
by
the
fact
that
elevator
technology
is
constantly

changing.

There
are
numerous
elevator
manufacturers
that
make
multiple
types
of
elevators.


It
is
not
uncommon
for
a
single
elevator
to
have
features
and
special
equipment
offered
by

several
manufacturers,
resulting
in
a
wide
variety
of
elevators
with
unique
characteristics


Emergency
Power
Operations
(EPR)


Many
elevators
now
have
an
emergency
power
system
that
will
allow
for
elevator
use
in
power

outage
situations.

One
by
one,
each
car
in
the
group
will
return
to
the
lobby
floor,
open
the

doors,
and
shut
down.

In
some
systems,
people
in
the
elevators
may
be
prompted
by
a
light
or

audible
message
stating
that
the
elevator
car
is
returning
to
the
lobby.

Once
all
the
cars
have

successfully
returned,
the
system
will
automatically
select
one
of
more
cars
to
be
used
for

normal
operation
and
return
these
cars
to
service.

The
car(s)
selected
to
run
by
emergency

power
can
be
manually
overridden
by
a
key
or
strip
switch
in
the
lobby.

In
order
to
prevent

entrapment,
when
the
system
determines
it
is
running
low
on
power,
it
will
bring
the
running

cars
to
the
lobby
or
nearest
floor,
open
the
doors
then
shut
down.


Hydraulic
Elevators


In
hydraulic
elevator
systems,
emergency
power
will
lower
the
elevators
to
the
lowest
landing

and
open
the
doors
to
allow
passengers
to
exit.

The
doors
then
close
after
an
adjustable
time

period
and
the
car
remains
unusable
until
reset.

The
reset
is
usually
completed
by
cycling
the

main
power
switch.

Typically,
due
to
the
high
current
when
starting
the
pump
motor,
hydraulic

elevators
are
not
run
using
standard
emergency
power
systems.

Building
such
as
hospitals
and

nursing
homes
usually
size
their
emergency
generators
to
accommodate
this
draw
of
power.


The
increasing
use
of
current
limiting
motor
starters,
also
call
“soft
start”
systems
to

contractors,
avoid
much
of
this
problem
and
the
current
draw
of
the
pump
motor
is
less
of
a

limiting
concern.




TYPES
OF
ELEVATORS


There
are
currently
2
types
of
elevators:


• Cable
operated
elevators
(also
referred
to
as
electric
elevators)

• Hydraulic
operated
elevators


CABLE
ELEVATORS


A
typical
elevator
consist
of
an
elevator
shaft
for
the
car
to
travel
within,
an
elevator
car,
cables

attached
to
the
car,
counter
weights,
vertical
tracks,
emergency
safety
breaks,
and
an

equipment
room
for
the
electrical
equipment
(electric
motor
and
winding
drum),
also
called
the

penthouse,
used
to
raise
or
lower
the
elevator.


Cable
elevators
are
drum
type
or
traction
type.





Drum
Type


A
winding
drum
type
elevator
consists
of
a
car
attached
to
one
or
more
cables
that
pass
around

a
winding
drum
to
a
moving
counterweight.

Counterweight
cables
are
on
one
side
of
the
drum

and
car
cables
are
on
the
other
side
of
the
drum.

The
drum
is
grooved
for
cable
movement
and

both
sets
of
the
cables
run
in
the
same
grooves
(counterweight
cables
unwind
when
car
cables

wind
and
vice‐versa).

The
equipment
rook
for
the
drum
type
may
be
located
in
the
basement

or
on
the
roof
of
a
building.

Limitations
in
the
length
and
diameter
of
the
winding
drum
restrict

this
type
of
elevator
to
150’
lifts
and
movement
at
slow
speeds.

Equipment
for
this
application

requires
more
space
than
other
types
of
elevators,
and
for
this
reason,
is
no
longer

manufactured.


Traction
Type


Traction
type
elevators
are
used
for
higher
lifts
and
greats
speeds
than
drum
type
elevators
and

use
traction
instead
of
a
winding
drum.

In
traction
type
elevators,
cables
are
attached
to
the

car
and
pass
over
a
traction
sheave
to
counterweights.

In
this
configuration,
cables
passion

over
the
traction
sheave
unwind
as
fast
as
they
wind
and
the
car
speed
is
dependent
on
the
size

of
the
traction
speed
and
the
electric
motor
speed.

There
are
two
types
of
traction
equipment:


• High
speed
direct
traction
or
gearless
type
traction
consists
of
a
slow
speed
DC
motor

directly
coupled
to
a
traction
sheave
with
a
brake
wheel
mounted
on
the
motor
shaft.

• Geared
traction
type
uses
a
high
speed
motor.

The
motor
is
geared
to
a
traction
sheave

through
worm
gears
with
a
brake
wheel
between
the
worm
gears
and
motor.


Since
there
is
less
weight
and
equipment
with
traction
type
elevators,
the
equipment
room
is

usually
located
on
the
roof
or
above
the
elevator
shaft
in
high
rise
buildings.


HYDRAULIC
ELEVATORS


Similar
in
generation
design
to
the
cable
elevator,
hydraulic
elevators
use
hydraulic
power

instead
of
cables
and
traction
sheaves
and
are
generally
limited
to
six
story
buildings.

In
very

old
installations,
a
car
is
raised
or
lowered
by
a
ram
powered
by
water
pressure.

Newer

elevator
installations
utilize
oil
pressure
to
power
a
ram.

Some
less
modern
hydraulic
elevators

and
hydraulic
elevators
that
travel
over
six
stories
may
also
use
cables
and
counterweights.


The
equipment
rooms
for
hydraulic
elevators
are
normally
located
at
the
lower
level
of
the

building,
but
can
be
at
any
floor
level
and
up
to
100’
away
from
the
elevator
shaft.

The

equipment
room
contains
the
following
main
components:

 • Controller
or
relay
panel
(electronics
necessary
to
run
the
elevator).

• Hydraulic
power
unit.

The
hydraulic
power
unit
consists
of
a
reservoir
for
the
oil
supply,

hydraulic
pump,
and
valves
to
raise
or
lower
the
elevator
car.


PASSENGER
ELEVATORS

Passenger
elevators,
both
hydraulic
and
electric,
are
design
to
quickly
move
passengers
to

different
levels
within
a
multi
story
building.

Modern
passenger
elevators
are
completely

automated
and
are
under
the
control
of
an
electronic
computer
which
constantly
evaluates
the

needs
and
demands
on
the
system.

Computers
continuously
make
adjustments,
move
cars,

and
work
to
meet
electric
current
demands.

Cars
are
sent
to
the
area
of
greatest
need
and

when
cars
are
not
needed,
they
are
allowed
to
“rest”
or
“sleep.”

Passenger
elevators
are

normally
faster
than
freight
elevators
and
often
use
express
elevators
that
cannot
stop
at
all

floors.


FREIGHT
ELEVATORS


Freight
elevators,
both
hydraulic
and
electric,
are
generally
less
complicated
and
serve
a

different
purpose
than
passenger
elevators.

Larger
than
passenger
elevators,
freight
elevators

have
a
significant
larger
area
and
have
carrying
capacities
of
up
to
three
tons.

Generally,
freight

elevators
are
separate
from
the
main
lobby
of
a
building
and
may
have
a
street,
alley,
or

loading
dock
access.

Not
being
under
computer
control,
freight
elevators
are
simpler
to

operate
and
control
than
passenger
elevators
and
normally
service
an
entire
building
from
the

lowest
to
highest
level.

Freight
elevators
are
normally
slower
than
passenger
elevators
and
can

stop
at
all
floors
unless
a
special
override
control
is
activated.


CONSTRUCTION


ELEVATOR
DOORS


Modern
elevators
utilize
two
sets
of
doors
for
operation
and
passenger
access.

The
door
on
the

car
is
referred
to
as
the
inner
or
car
door
and
is
attached
to
the
elevator
car.

The
door
that
is

seen
from
each
floor
of
a
building
is
referred
to
as
the
outer
door
or
hoistway
and
is
part
of
the

building.

It
is
important
to
understand
that
the
car
door
does
all
the
work
and
the
hoistway

door
is
a
dependent.

These
doors
can
be
opened
of
closed
by
electric
motors,
or
manually
for

emergency
incidents.

Safety
devices
are
located
at
each
landing
to
prevent
inadvertent

hoistway
door
openings
and
to
prevent
an
elevator
car
from
moving
unless
the
door
is
in
a

locked
position.

All
types
of
doors
are
designed
with
a
safety
feature
that
will
cause
the
car
to

stop
whenever
a
car
door
is
opened.

There
are
four
basic
types
of
doors
used
on
elevators:








• Swing
hall
doors
consist
of
a
hoistway
door
that
is
manually
opened
and
a
single
slide

car
door
that
is
power
operated
or
a
collapsible
gate.

 




• Single
slide
doors
are
power
operated
single
panel
doors.




• Center
opening
doors
consist
of
two
power
operated
panels
that
part
simultaneously

with
a
quick,
noiseless
motion.






 • Two
speed
doors
consist
of
two
power
operated
panels
that
are
geared
together.

One

door
moves
twice
as
fast
as
the
other
door
so
that
both
doors
will
meet
in
a

simultaneously
in
the
same
position.




Elevator
doors
are
normally
opened
by
a
power
unit
that
is
located
on
top
of
the
elevator
car.


When
an
elevator
car
is
level
with
the
floor
landing,
the
power
unit
moves
the
car
door
open
or

closed.

A
pick‐up
arm
(clutch,
vane,
bayonet,
or
cam)
contacts
rollers
on
the
hoistway
door

which
releases
the
door
latch
on
the
hoistway
door.

The
power
unit
opens
the
car
doors,
which

in
turn
opens
the
hoistway
door.

The
door
rollers
and
the
pick‐up
arm
may
be
different
on

various
elevators,
but
they
work
on
the
same
principle.




GIB
BLOCKS


The
bottoms
of
hoistway
doors
are
equipped
with
gib
blocks.

These
blocks
are
made
of
various

plastic
or
phenolic
materials.

Gib
blocks
are
approximately
3”
wide,
1”
high,
and
½”
thick,
and

are
installed
every
18
inches
across
the
underside
of
the
door
panel.

Gib
blocks
ride
in
the

tracks
that
are
in
the
floor
landing.



 


Gib
blocks
provide
stability
to
the
hoistway
door
as
it
opens
and
closes.

Normal
hoistway
doors

can
be
expected
to
utilize
two
gib
blocks.




BRAKES


Elevators
are
provided
with
brakes
for
normal
operation
and
are
similar
to
automotive
brakes.


A
centrifugal
force
governor
is
provided
on
most
elevators
to
guard
against
over
speeding.


When
a
car
travels
in
excess
of
20%
of
top
speed,
the
governor
will
activate
a
safety
stop

device.

Safeties
are
installed
at
the
bottom
of
an
elevator
car
and
occasionally
on

counterweights
to
provide
positive
emergency
stopping
when
activated
by
the
governor.

If

necessary,
abrupt
stops
are
possible
with
this
equipment.

On
elevators
capable
of
high
speeds,

wedges
are
forced
between
two
jaws
and
the
vertical
rails
are
gripped
with
increasing
force
to

slow
a
runaway
elevator
car
to
a
gradual
stop.


RESCUE
PROCEDURES


Prior
to
initiating
elevator
rescue
procedures,
dispatch
and
on
scene
information
should
be

carefully
evaluated.

When
a
call
is
received,
knowledge
of
the
building
type
and
type
of

occupancy
will
indicate
the
type
of
elevator
(hydraulic
or
cable),
applications
(industrial‐
commercial,
apartments,
multi‐story
office
buildings,
high
rise,
etc),
and
the
time
of
day

(indication
of
the
number
of
potentially
trapped
victims).

Once
on
scene,
information
should

consist
of
the
following
considerations:

 • Is
the
elevator
inoperative?

• Does
the
inoperative
elevator
contain
trapped
occupants,
and
if
so,
what
are
their

conditions?

• Has
an
elevator
repair
person
been
notified,
and
if
so,
what
is
their
estimated
time
of

arrival?

• Where
in
the
inoperative
elevator
stuck
at,
between
floors,
or
at
a
landing?

• What
type
of
elevator
is
it,
hydraulic
or
cable?

• Where
is
the
elevator
equipment
room?
(Normally,
above
for
a
cable
elevator
and

below
for
a
hydraulic).


Once
on
scene,
there
are
general
guidelines
for
rescue
to
be
considered.


Various
operations

can
be
utilized
to
remove
trapped
passengers
from
an
inoperative
elevator.

Use
of
a
particular

operation
should
be
based
on
the
needs
and
conditions
of
each
incident
and
the
expertise
of

the
personnel.

Rescue
procedures
include
the
following:


• Moving
an
elevator


• Adjacent
car
rescues

• Forcing
doors

• Breaching
elevator
shafts


GENERAL
GUIDELINES
FOR
RESCUE


When
it
has
been
determined
there
is
an
inoperative
elevator
with
trapped
occupants,
the

following
considerations
should
be
initially
implemented:


Position
personnel
equipped
with
portable
radios
at
the
following
locations:


• Elevator
equipment
room
(access
to
main
power
switches
and
elevator
equipment)

• Floor
where
elevator
is
inoperable
(elevator
rescue
procedures
will
be
coordinated
from

this
location.


Establish
voice
contact
with
the
trapped
elevator
passengers
and:


• Determine
if
trapped
passengers
are
in
need
of
medical
assistance.

Do
not
rescue

passengers
using
forcible
entry
methods
unless
they
are
in
need
of
immediate
medical

attention.

Forcible
entry
methods
can
be
dangerous
to
passengers
as
well
as

firefighters,
and
will
cause
severe
damage
to
the
elevator.

• If
conditions
of
the
occupants
are
stable,
inform
the
passengers
that
they
are
safe
and

will
be
removed
from
the
inoperative
elevator
in
a
short
period
of
time.

Also
keep
in

the
occupants
informed
of
operations
that
are
being
used
to
remove
them.

 • Have
the
trapped
passengers
verify
the
status
of
the
Emergency
Stop
Button.

If
an

elevator
is
stalled
due
to
malfunction
(one
that
can
be
quickly
corrected,
such
as
an

overheated
relay,
loss
of
power
from
an
activated
main
switch,
etc),
it
is
necessary
for

the
Emergency
Stop
Button
to
be
activated
before
power
will
be
returned
to
the

inoperative
elevator
(placed
in
the
normal/run
position).

• Instruct
the
passengers
to
push
the
Door
Open
Button
if
it
equipped.

• If
the
elevator
car
is
within
a
few
inches
of
the
landing
floor,
and
the
power
is
off
in
the

equipment
room,
instruct
the
passengers
to
try
to
manually
open
the
car
door.

This

may
require
some
effort
as
the
car
door
operates
the
hoistway
door
through
a
clutch

mechanism.

Moving
the
car
door
will
release
the
latch
on
the
hoistway
door
and
allow

it
to
be
opened.



Personnel
in
the
equipment
room
should:


Check
the
electrical
circuits
(main
switch,
fuses,
etc)
to
verify
if
power
is
on
or
off
to
the

elevator.

Occasionally,
circuits
are
tripped
due
to
overheating
and
can
be
safely
reset.


• If
there
is
power
to
the
elevator,
turn
the
power
off
for
at
least
30
seconds,
and
then

back
on
again.

This
can
reactivate
the
elevator
by
allowing
relays
to
reset.

The
30

seconds
is
necessary
to
clear
any
previous
programming
in
the
elevator
computer.

If

the
elevator
car
is
within
a
few
inches
of
the
landing,
the
door
may
be
opened.

• If
there
is
a
Door
Open
Button
in
the
elevator,
instruct
the
passengers
to
again
push
this

button
and
the
doors
may
open.

• If
an
elevator
is
equipped
with
a
recall
system,
a
key
can
be
used
to
recall
the
elevator

to
the
ground
floor
and
open
its
doors.

If
the
elevator
returns
to
the
ground
floor
but

does
not
open
the
doors,
instruct
the
passengers,
if
the
elevator
is
equipped,
to
push

the
Door
Open
Button.


NOTE:

Do
not
attempt
to
rescue
trapped
passengers
from
an
inoperative
elevator
unless
the

power
to
the
elevator
has
been
secured.

This
requires
that
a
person
be
assigned
to
the
main

power
switch
until
the
rescue
is
completed.


MOVING
AN
ELEVATOR


As
a
moving
elevator
approaches
a
landing,
a
pick‐up
arm
on
the
elevator
car
will
engage
the

rollers
on
the
hoistway
doors
and
allow
the
hoistway
doors
and
allow
the
hoistway
door
to
be

opened
as
follows:


• On
hydraulic
elevators
and
some
cable
elevators,
the
hoistway
doors
will
be
open
of
the

elevator
is
either
six
inches
above
or
below
the
floor
level.

 • On
some
cable
elevators,
the
hoistway
doors
will
open
of
the
elevator
is
either
18
inches

above
or
below
the
floor
level.


Hydraulic
Elevators


• De‐energize
all
electrical
power
to
the
inoperative
elevator.

Direct
the
passengers
to

move
to
the
rear
of
the
car
and
keep
the
car
door
closed.

• Locate
the
bleeder/lowering
valve.

The
bleeder
valves
are
located
on
the
hydraulic

power
unit
in
the
equipment
room.

There
are
generally
three
valves
in
this
unit,
one
to

raise
the
car,
on
to
lower
the
car,
and
one
that
will
level
a
car
to
the
floor
landing.

Most

bleeder
valves
have
a
manual
lowering
screw
built
into
the
valve
are
marked
ML,
MAN,

or
MANUAL
near
the
lowering
screw.

No
valve
should
be
fully
opened.

Open
the

bleeder
valve
slowly,
just
enough
to
hear
the
sound
of
fluid
flowing,
and
the
elevator
car

will
slowly
lower.


• When
the
car
is
level,
or
within
six
inches
of
the
floor
landing,
stop
bleeding
the

hydraulic
fluid
by
rotating
the
valve
clockwise
until
the
valve
is
seated,
this
will
stop
the

car.

• Direct
passengers
to
manually
open
the
car
door.

This
will
release
the
hoistway
door

and
allow
the
hoistway
door
to
be
opened.

Some
elevators
require
that
the
electric

power
be
restored
for
the
doors
to
be
opened
and
that
the
hoistway
door
may
not
be

automatically
opened.

In
this
case,
it
may
be
necessary
to
manually
open
the
hoistway

door.

• Quite
often,
the
mechanism
on
the
car
door
that
engages
the
hoistway
door
to
facilitate

its
opening
fails.

This
leaves
the
car
door
open
and
the
hoistway
door
closed.

When

this
occurs,
the
easiest
fix
is
to
direct
the
passengers
to
move
the
latching
mechanism

 (metal
rod)
upward.

The
latching
mechanism
connects
the
hoistway
door
rollers
to
the

hoistway
door
latch.

• Secure
the
elevator
by
closing
the
car
and
hoistway
doors.

Shut
off
all
power
to
the

elevator
and
notify
the
responsible
party
that
the
elevator
cannot
be
place
back
into

service
until
it
is
repaired
by
a
qualified
person.


Cable
Elevators


• Minimum
of
one
firefighter
to
the
floor
where
the
passengers
will
be
removed.

• Two
firefighters
in
the
equipment
room.

These
firefighters
should
have
a
two
claw
tools

and
a
pipe
wrench
or
large
channel
locks.

• De‐energize
the
electric
power
to
the
inoperative
elevator.

Direct
the
passengers
to

move
away
from
the
door
and
keep
the
car
door
closed.



• Use
chalk
to
mark
the
hub
to
show
movement
to
the
elevator
car.

• Locate
the
friction
brake
and
determine
the
direction
the
brake
moves
(in
or
out).

The

friction
brake
will
be
to
one
side
of
the
shaft.




• Place
the
claw
tools
between
the
brake
caliper
and
the
spring,
one
on
either
side
of
the

brake.

Working
in
unison
with
personnel
on
each
Hayward,
release
the
tension
on
the

brake.

 

• Once
this
is
accomplished,
rotate
the
shaft
with
a
pipe
wrench
or
channel
locks.

While

rotating
the
shaft,
verify
with
the
firefighter
stationed
at
the
inoperative
car
that
the
car

is
moving
in
the
desired
direction.

If
the
car
is
not
moving
in
the
desired
direction,

rotate
the
shaft
in
the
opposite
direction
or
change
the
desired
floor
that
the
car
is

being
moved
to.


Due
to
counterweights
and
the
number
of
passengers
in
the
car:


• The
car
may
slowly
begin
to
move
upward.

This
is
easily
controlled
by
pressure
exerted

on
to
the
friction
brake.

• It
is
generally
easier
to
move
the
car
upward
because
of
the
counterweights/

 • When
the
car
is
level,
or
within
18
inches
of
the
floor
landing,
discontinue
rotation
of

the
shaft
and
the
car
will
stop.

Set
the
friction
brake
by
releasing
pressure.


• Direct
passengers
to
manually
open
the
car
door.

This
will
release
the
hoistway
door

lock
and
allow
the
hoistway
to
open
the
door.

Remember
that
some
elevators
require

the
electric
power
to
be
restored
for
the
doors
to
be
opened
and
that
the
hoistway
door

may
not
automatically
open.

In
this
case,
it
may
be
necessary
to
manually
open
the

hoistway
door.

• Quite
often
the
mechanism
on
the
car
door
that
engages
the
hoistway
door
to
facilitate

its
opening
fails.

This
leaves
the
car
door
open
and
the
hoistway
door
closed.

It
should

be
realized
that
when
this
occurs,
the
easiest
fix
is
to
direct
the
passengers
to
move
the

latching
mechanism
(a
metal
rod)
upward.

The
latching
mechanism
connects
the

hoistway
door
rollers
to
the
hoistway
door
latch.



• Secure
the
elevator
by
closing
the
car
and
hoistway
doors.

Shut
off
all
power
to
the

elevator
and
notify
the
responsible
party
that
the
elevator
cannot
be
place
back
into

service
until
it
is
repaired
by
a
qualified
person.


ADJACENT
CAR
RESCUES


When
an
inoperative
elevator
shares
a
common
shaft
with
an
operational
elevator,
it
is
possible

to
effect
a
rescue
from
an
adjacent
elevator.

Although
this
is
a
viable
operation,
it
is
very

dangerous
and
should
only
be
used
as
a
very
last
resort.


Use
of
a
Roof
Emergency
Exit


• Take
control
of
all
elevators
in
the
common
shaft.

De‐energize
electrical
power
to
the

inoperative
elevator.

• Position
an
operational
elevator
adjacent
to
the
inoperative
elevator
and
activate
the

Emergency
Stop
Button
in
both
elevators.

• De‐energize
electrical
power
to
all
elevators.

• Open
the
emergency
exit
in
the
roof
of
the
operational
elevator.

Using
a
ladder,

firefighters
may
climb
through
the
roof
of
the
operational
elevator.

The
top
emergency

exit
panels
are
secured
by
thumb
screws
and
are
arranged
so
the
cover
can
be
opened

from
both
the
inside
and
outside
of
the
elevator.

The
cover
will
open
outward
and
the

space
cover
is
unobstructed
by
elevator
equipment.



• Confirm
electrical
power
is
off
to
all
elevators.

• Firefighters
may
now
step
over
to
the
inoperative
elevator
and
open
the
emergency
exit

on
the
roof
of
the
inoperative
elevator.

 • Using
a
ladder,
enter
the
car
and
assist
the
trapped
passengers
from
the
inoperative

elevator.


Use
of
a
Side
Emergency
Exit


• Take
control
of
all
elevators
in
the
common
shaft.

De‐energize
electrical
power
to
the

inoperative
elevator.

• Position
an
operational
elevator
adjacent
to
the
inoperative
elevator
and
activate
the

Emergency
Stop
Button
in
both
elevators.

• De‐energize
electrical
power
to
all
elevators.

• Open
the
emergency
side
exit
in
the
operational
elevator.

This
will
allow
personnel
to

open
the
emergency
side
exit
in
the
inoperative
elevator.

Side
emergency
exits
are

usually
at
least
16
inches
wide
and
5
feet
high,
located
so
there
is
free
access
to
the
side

exit
of
an
adjacent
car,
will
open
inward,
and
are
either
hinged,
or
removable.

The

removable
emergency
side
exit
panel
is
held
in
place
by
at
least
four
fasteners,
so

arranged
that
they
can
be
operated
by
hand
from
both
inside
or
outside
of
the
elevator.


The
hinged
emergency
exit
panel
is
provided
with
a
lock
arrangement
so
that
such
lock

can
be
operated
from
the
inside
of
an
elevator
by
means
of
a
removable
key
or
from
the

outside
by
a
non‐removable
handle.

The
key
is
kept
on
the
premises
by
the
responsible

party.



• Confirm
electrical
power
is
off
to
all
elevators.

• Once
the
side
emergency
exits
have
been
opened
in
the
inoperative
and
operational

elevators,
a
short
plank,
ladder,
etc,
should
be
placed
through
the
emergency
exits

between
elevators.

• Enter
the
car
and
assist
the
trapped
passengers
from
the
inoperative
elevator.


FORCING
DOORS


Rescue
of
trapped
passengers
may
become
time
critical
if
a
passenger
is
in
medical
distress.

It

may
become
necessary
to
force
doors
open
causing
damage
to
the
elevator.


Air
Lifting
Bags


Air
bags
can
be
used
to
forced
open
center
opening
doors
when
the
patient(s)
are
not
stable.


Insert
a
haligan,
crowbar,
or
other
similar
tool
at
the
top
portion
of
the
doors
and
force
the
two

doors
apart
until
a
small
air
bag
can
be
inserted.

Instruct
the
passengers
to
move
to
the
back
of

the
car
and
face
the
rear
of
the
car.

Ensure
the
electrical
power
to
the
car
has
been
de‐
energized.


Inflate
the
air
bag
until
the
doors
are
forced
open.

This
operation
will
break
the

interlocks
at
the
top
of
the
doors,
but
causes
little
of
no
damage
to
the
car
or
hoistway
doors.


Broken
interlocks
are
easily
repaired.



 

Removing
Gib
Blocks


This
rescue
method
cannot
be
utilized
when
the
inoperative
elevator
is
located
at
the
top
floor

of
a
building.


Personnel
can
gain
entry
into
an
inoperative
elevator
by
removing
the
gib
blocks
as
follows:


• Position
firefighters
in
the
elevator
equipment
room,
floor
where
the
elevator
is

inoperative,
and
the
floor
landing
above
the
inoperative
elevator.

• Shut
off
the
power
to
the
elevator.


• On
the
floor
above
the
elevator,
cut
the
gib
blocks
on
one
of
the
hoistway
doors.

This
is

easily
accomplished
by
a
reciprocating
saw,
air
chisel,
etc.

If
the
gap
between
the

bottom
of
the
hoistway
door
and
floor
is
insufficient,
the
door
can
easily
be
pried

upward
to
provide
the
necessary
clearance.

• Utilizing
the
top
of
the
hoistway
door
as
a
hinge,
the
bottom
of
the
door
may
be
pushed

into
the
elevator
shaft
allowing
firefighters
to
look
down
at
the
inoperative
hoistway

door
linkage‐locking
mechanism,
allowing
personnel
to
use
a
pike
pole
(or
similar
tool)

to
release
the
locking
mechanism.

This
will
release
and
allow
the
inoperative
hoistway

doors
to
be
easily
opened.

The
car
doors
may
be
opened
by
the
passengers
or

firefighters
to
free
the
trapped
passengers.

• When
gib
blocks
are
cut,
the
hoistway
door
can
dislodge
from
its
upper
track
if
it
is

pushed
too
far
into
the
shaft.

This
must
be
deliberately
done
to
dislodge
the
door.

• Elevator
power
shall
not
be
restored
until
the
elevator
is
restored
to
the
proper
working

condition
by
a
certified
technician.



• Ensure
that
the
hoistway
door
with
the
cut
gib
blocks
is
appropriately
secured.

To

restore
the
hoistway
door,
the
elevator
personnel
could
replace
the
gib
blocks
that
have

been
cut
and
put
the
door
back
on
its
track.

BREACHING
ELEVATOR
SHAFTS


Occasionally,
an
express
elevator
car
may
b
stalled
in
a
blind
section
of
an
elevator
shaft
and
as

a
final
resort,
it
will
be
necessary
to
breach
an
elevator
shaft
wall.

Elevators
of
a
more

sophisticated
design
have
access
panels
from
blind
floors.

These
panels
may
be
helpful
but

should
not
be
dependent
on
as
they
are
often
hidden
or
covered.

Shaft
panels
are
on
the
side

of
the
elevator
shaft
that
the
car
door
is
located.

These
panels
can
be
removed
and
used
in

several
different
ways:


• Locate
the
car
by
looking
into
the
shaft
through
a
panel.

If
close
enough,
the
car
doors

can
be
forced
open
and
passengers
removed
through
the
panel.

• Panels
can
permit
entry
into
the
elevator
shaft
and
access
to
the
emergency
exit
on
the

roof
of
a
car.


If
there
are
no
shaft
panels
and
it
is
necessary
to
breach
the
elevator
shaft
wall,
the
breach

opening(s)
should
be
made
on
the
elevator
car
door
side
of
the
shaft,
and
as
close
to
the
car

door
as
possible.

The
wall
opening
should
be
large
enough
to
expose
the
entire
elevator
car

door
opening.

Breaching
an
elevator
shaft
wall
requires
multiple
firefighters,
labor,
time,

property
damage,
planning,
and
coordination.

After
the
elevator
shaft
entry
has
been
made,

car
doors
or
roof
emergency
exit
(if
the
breach
was
made
above
the
car)
can
be
opened.


Consider
the
use
of
a
Heavy
Rescue
for
wall
breaching.

If
it
is
necessary
to
use
a
ladder
from

the
wall
opening
to
the
top
of
the
car,
life
lines
should
be
considered
for
use
on
rescue

personnel
and
use
of
a
Technical
Rescue
Team
should
be
considered.


OTHER
ELEVATOR
EMERGENCIES


ELEVATOR
FIRES


Fires
occur
is
elevator
cars
as
content
fires
which
will
cause
smoke
problems
on
multiple
floors.


Fires
also
occur
in
the
elevator
equipment
rooms
and
elevator
shafts.


Equipment
Room
Fires


When
a
fire
occurs
in
an
elevator
equipment
room,
the
probably
seat
of
the
fire
will
be
the

driving
motor.

Disconnecting
the
main
and
auxiliary
power
switches
will
stop
car
movement

and
de‐energize
the
driving
motor.

Whenever
possible,
the
use
of
water
on
elevator

equipment
should
be
avoided
or
used
sparingly.

The
removal
of
passengers
from
the
shut

down
elevator
car
should
be
complimented
in
a
routine
manner.


Elevator
Shaft
Fires

Although
there
is
little
to
burn
in
an
elevator
shaft,
there
is
presence
of
grease
and
lint.

The

main
source
of
fire
is
debris
in
the
pit.

The
principle
hazard
of
any
fire
in
an
elevator
shaft
is
the

smoke
created
by
the
fire.

Smoke
can
cause
problem
by
extending
to
the
following
areas:


• An
elevator
car
with
passengers.

• Equipment
room
and
foul
electrical
contacts
in
various
control
panels.

While
some

electrical
equipment
is
sturdy,
some
equipment
may
be
sensitive
to
smoke.

• Extend
to
other
level
of
a
multi‐story
building.


If
the
fire
is
under
a
car,
the
car
should
be
brought
to
the
lowest
landing
possible
to
reduce
the

spread
of
smoke.

If
the
fire
is
in
the
upper
portion
of
the
shaft,
the
car
should
be
stopped
and

evacuated
and
the
elevator
shaft
opened
as
near
to
the
fire
as
possible.

The
use
of
water

should
be
used
sparingly.

When
multiple
elevators
share
a
common
shaft,
all
elevators
in
the

shaft
involved
with
fire
should
be
stopped
and
evacuated.


POWER
OUTAGES


During
the
1965
East
Coast
power
outage,
thousands
of
elevators
were
stalled.

The
greatest

problem
was
panic
to
trapped
passengers
in
a
dark,
inoperative
elevator
car.

When
there
is
a

sudden
loss
of
power,
all
power
switches
should
be
place
in
the
OFF
position
and
passengers

rescued
with
the
appropriate
measures.

It
may
be
necessary
to
force
doors
or
breach
walls.


Some
building
may
have
auxiliary
power
which
can
be
used
to
more
elevators
until
normal

power
is
restored.


ESCALATORS


Escalators
are
a
simple
and
common
means
of
getting
people
from
floor
to
floor.

They
consist

of
steps,
a
driving
motor,
and
gearing
to
form
a
continuous
belt
or
track
running
on
a
set
of

gears.

An
escalator
traveling
between
90‐120
feet
per
minute
can
carry
as
many
as
5000

people
per
hour.

Each
escalator
in
a
building
is
an
individual
installation
with
separate

machinery
and
controls.

Stop
buttons
are
located
externally
and
are
at
the
top
and
bottom
of

each
unit.


Stop
buttons
stop
the
escalator
slowly
and
are
provided
for
emergency
operation.


An
escalator
cannot
be
restarted
without
the
use
of
a
key‐operated
switch
that
is
located
in
a

covered
compartment
at
the
bottom
of
the
escalator.


There
are
occasional
emergencies
such
as
children
inserting
their
fingers
and
toes
between
the

stop
treads
and
guard
plates,
shoes
capable
of
wedging
between
treads,
and
trapped
fingers

due
to
persons
attempting
to
pick
up
dropped
items.

Escalator
injuries
are
usually
not
serious

in
nature.

Once
the
moving
escalator
is
stopped,
the
treads
may
be
moved
backwards
by
using

hand
pressure.

Some
older
installations
may
require
the
use
of
a
crowbar
or
similar
tool
to

push
the
treads
backwards.

When
pushed
backwards,
toes
and
fingers
may
be
easily
removed

from
the
escalator.

Because
of
a
patient’s
position
and/or
extent
of
injuries,
it
may
be

necessary
to
remove
the
cover
plate
that
covers
the
step
treads
at
the
floor
level.

When
plate

removal
is
necessary,
the
plate
screws
should
be
completely
removed
from
the
plate,
and
the

plate
lifted
straight
up
rather
than
sideways.

After
removal
of
the
patient,
place
the
escalator

out
of
service.

The
escalator
may
now
be
used
as
a
normal
staircase
until
it
is
attended
to
by
a

certified
service
technician.


DEFINITIONS


ANSI
A17.1‐1978


The
official
American
National
Standard
Safety
Code
for
Elevators,
Dumbwaiters,
Escalators,

and
Moving
Walks.

Covers
design,
construction,
installation,
operation,
inspection,
testing,

maintenance,
alteration,
and
repair
of
elevators.


Alarm
Bell


Used
to
notify
occupants
of
a
building
that
there
is
an
elevator
problem.

A
bell
is
activated
by

the
use
of
an
emergency
switch
on
most
elevators.


Blind
Section


The
part
of
an
elevator
shaft
that
for
3
or
more
consecutive
floors
has
no
hoistway
doors
to

access
floors.


Buffers


The
object
used
to
smoothly
decelerate
an
elevator
car
and
supports
it
at
rest
as
it
passes
the

lowest
floor
landing.

Car/Cab/Cage


The
movable
part
of
the
elevator
used
to
carry
passengers.

Construction
is
the
same
for
cable

or
hydraulic,
except
cable
cars
will
have
a
reinforced
top
beam
for
cable
connections
and
is

design
to
carry
the
load
of
the
passengers.

Hydraulic
elevators
have
a
reinforced
bottom
joist

due
to
the
hydraulic
ram
connected
to
the
bottom.

This
beam
is
also
designed
to
carry
the
load

of
the
car
and
passengers.


Car
Door


The
door
of
an
elevator
car.


Counterbalance
Weight


All
cable
elevators
are
counterbalanced.

Hydraulic
elevators
over
six
stories
in
height
also
need

to
be
counterbalanced.

Counterbalanced
weights
are
normally
on
the
back
of
the
elevator

shaft,
but
due
to
construction
types,
may
also
be
found
on
the
side.


Door
Types


The
four
basic
types
of
doors
are
swing
hall,
single
slide,
center
opening,
and
two
speed.


Door
Latch‐Lock
or
Interlock


Generally
located
on
the
beam
over
the
elevator
shaft
opening.

Can
also
be
on
the
side
of
an

elevator
shaft
opening.

Locks
the
hoistway
doors
in
a
closed
position.


Door
Roller/Release
Roller


Generally
on
the
hoistway
doors.

Activation
of
this
roller
will
open
the
door
latch,
lock,
or

interlock.




Elevator
Shaft


A
shaft
that
contains
an
elevator
car
and
appropriate
equipment.


Emergency
Exit


Most
elevators
are
equipped
with
a
roof
emergency
exit
in
the
top
of
the
car.

When
there
are
a

bank
of
elevators,
a
side
emergency
exit
may
be
on
the
side
of
the
car.


Emergency
Stop
Switch

On
the
inside
panel
of
the
car
and
must
manually
be
operated
to
shut
off
electric
power
to
an

elevator.

The
switch
is
red,
and
may
be
labeled
“stop
and
run”
or
“emergency.”


Emergency
Switch
(PUSH
IN
CASE
OF
FIRE)


An
override
switch
on
a
photo
electric
light
beam
used
for
closing
car
doors.

This
switch
can
be

used
to
close
doors
when
smoke
from
a
fire
keeps
the
doors
from
closing.


Equipment
Room


The
equipment
room
for
cable
elevators
is
usually
located
on
the
top
floor
or
roof
of
the

building
and
in
rare
occasion,
may
be
in
the
basement.

Equipment
rooms
for
the
hydraulic

elevators
are
normally
located
at
the
lower
level
of
a
building,
but
can
be
at
any
floor
level
50‐
100
feet
away
from
the
elevator
shaft.


Escape
Hatch


The
same
as
emergency
exits.


Gib
Block


Guides
the
bottom
of
a
hoistway
door
to
provide
stability
when
opening
and
closing.


Governor


A
mechanical
device
on
cable
elevators
used
control
speed.

If
a
car
is
traveling
downward
too

fast,
it
automatically
activates
a
mechanism
on
the
car
and
causes
the
safeties
to
grip
the
guide

rains
and
stop
the
car.

If
a
car
is
traveling
upward
too
fast,
it
will
cause
the
electric
motor
to

shut
off
and
slow
the
movement
of
the
car
and
set
the
brakes
on
the
motor,
stopping
the
car.


Hatch/Hatchway/Hoistway


The
elevator
shaft.


Hoistway
Door


The
door
that
is
seen
from
each
floor
of
the
building.


Inner
Door


The
car
door.

Lowering
Valve


The
valve
on
hydraulic
elevator
equipment
used
to
lower
the
car.

If
there
is
no
manual

lowering
screw
in
the
valve,
there
will
be
a
globe
valve
n
the
system
that
can
be
used
to
lower

an
elevator
car.

This
is
the
valve
that
is
used
by
the
Fire
Department
to
lower
a
car.


Machine
Room


The
equipment
room.


Main
Switch


The
main
power
switch
located
in
the
machine
room


Outer
Door


The
hoistway
door.


Pick‐Up
Arm
Clutch/Vane/Cam/Bayonet


Located
on
the
hoistway
door
of
an
elevator
and
actuates
the
door
roller
that
operates
the

door
latch.

It
is
generally
14
inches
long
on
hydraulic
elevators
and
36
inches
long
on
cable

elevators.


Pit
Area


Area
at
the
bottom
of
an
elevator
shaft.


Power
Door
Operator


Located
on
top
of
an
elevator
car
or
at
each
floor
landing.

Comprised
of
an
electric
motor
that

opens
and
closes
the
doors.


Power
Unit


Electric
motor
to
operate
the
hydraulic
pump
or
move
cables,
located
in
the
equipment
room.


Push
Button
Station


Located
at
each
floor
landing
and
close
to
the
hoistway
door
opening.


Relays


Activates
the
movement
of
an
elevator
car
and
its
doors.

Located
in
the
relay
panels
or
control

panels
in
the
equipment
room.

Safeties


A
mechanical
device
on
te
bottom
of
cable
elevator
cars
that
is
activated
by
the
governor
if
the

downward
speed
of
the
car
is
too
fast.

Safeties
grip
the
guide
rails
and
stop
the
car.


Sleeping
Elevator/Parker
Car


When
an
elevator
car
is
not
in
use.


Traction
Sheave


A
large
pulley
to
provide
movement
of
cables.

It
is
driven
by
the
motor
directly
or
through

worm
gears.