What
all elevator Owners need
to be aware of…
|
Due
to volume of inquiries
regarding the new changes
in code requirements,
particularly ASME A17.3
1996 Edition, we have
decided to post brief
description of the requirements
and links to the bulletins
from the Bureau of Elevator
Safety.
For many years, elevator
owners and managers have
been told that their elevator
equipment was “grandfathered-in”,
this is no longer true.
In the interest of public
safety, newer code rules
for existing elevators
are now being enforced.
The Florida Building Code
has adopted the “Safety
Code for Existing Elevators
and Escalators”
(ASME A17.3) 1996 Edition.
Of course, the older the
equipment the more extensive
the upgrades to meet the
new requirements will
be.
If your building was cited
for an A17.3 1996 violation
during your last inspection,
the existing equipment
does not meet code requirements.
Some of the requirements
of A17.3 1996 will include,
but will not be limited
to:
- Door zone
restrictors:
prevents entrapped passengers
from evacuating themselves
when an elevator is
stuck between floors.
- Emergency
lighting: the
function of the emergency
lighting is to automatically
engage when the normal
power supply fails;
it will illuminate the
cab and allow passengers
the use of the alarm
bell and alert people
of their entrapment.
- Firefighters’
Emergency Operation:
not pertaining to elevators
that travel no more
than 25 feet from the
bottom landing to the
top landing.
- 2-way telephone
communication
|
We
have provided for your convenience
the following links to Industry
bulletins as follows:
You can view other industry
bulletins HERE: |
| Industry
Bulletin 2010-01:
Hydraulic Supply Shutoff
Valves |
| Industry
Bulletin 2010-02:
Phase II Firefighters' Service
on existing elevators |
| Technical
Advisory 2008-1:
Temporary Variance for ASME
A17.3 Violations |
| Technical
Advisory 2007-01:
Elevator Industry FAQ |
| Industry
Bulletin 2008-03:
ASME Code Requirements
and Inspections:
addresses the responsibility
of the building owner, the
elevator code and inspection
requirements enforced by
the Bureau of Elevator Safety.
|
| Industry
Bulletin 2007-04:
ASME & ADA Use
of Emergency Communications:
provides information on
the ADA Emergency communication
requirements. |
| Industry
Bulletin 2006-04:
Correction of Costly
and/or Complex Violations:
explains
how building owners can
obtain approval from the
bureau to provide them with
an extended time-frame to
correct the elevator violation.
|
| Industry
Bulletin 2006-01:
Elevator Inspection
Standards: addresses
the statutory requirements
for retrofitting and code
enforcement proposed by
the Elevator Safety Act
to provide for the safety
of life and limb and to
promote public safety awareness. |
| DBPRHR-
Plan of Correction Suggested
Form – PDF
format |
| |
Order
to Correct Compliance
Alternative Frequently
Asked Questions: |
(This
information is provided
and can be found on www.myflorida.com)
Q.
What is the Order to Correct
compliance alternative?
A. Section
399.105(4), Florida Statutes,
requires an elevator owner
to comply with an Order
to Correct within 30 days
or risk administrative
action, including a fine,
against the Certificate
of Operation. The compliance
alternative, known as
a plan of corrective action,
allows elevator owners
a reasonable amount of
time to correct costly
and/or complex violations
that, for verifiable circumstances,
cannot realistically be
corrected within the statutorily-mandated
30 days.
The option of a plan of
corrective action does
not remove the bureau’s
30-day compliance requirement.
This compliance alternative
has prescribed time limits
wherein you must complete
certain steps or face
administrative action
against your Certificate
of Operation.
Q.
How long do I have to
correct violations under
a plan of corrective action?
A. If
you submit a letter of
intent to comply within
30 days and an approved
plan of corrective action
within 60 days, then you
have a total of 180 days
from the date the Order
to Correct was issued
to correct the violations
specified in the plan
of corrective action.
Q.
What is a letter of intent
to comply?
A. A
letter of intent to comply
is a letter to the Bureau
of Elevator Safety in
which you state your efforts
to comply with the Order
to Correct and the specific
reason or reasons you
are unable to correct
the violations within
30 days.
Submission of a letter
of intent to comply with
an acceptable reason for
not correcting the violations
within 30 days will provide
you an additional 30 days
to comply or proceed with
the next step of the compliance
alternative – submission
of a plan of corrective
action.
Q.
What if I do not submit
a letter of intent to
comply?
A. You
must correct the violations
within 30 days of the
date the Order to Correct
was issued. If you fail
to correct the violations,
an order to discontinue
use of the elevator and
an administrative complaint
will be issued against
your Certificate of Operation.
Q.
What if
I submit a letter of intent
to comply but do not submit
a plan of corrective action?
A. You
must correct the violations
within 60 days of the
date the Order to Correct
was issued. If you fail
to correct the violations,
an order to discontinue
use of the elevator and
an administrative complaint
will be issued against
your Certification of
Operation.
Q. What
must a plan of corrective
action include?
A. A
plan of corrective action
should outline your efforts
to correct the violations.
At a minimum, the following
information must be included
in the plan of corrective
action:
The corrections to be
completed;
Relevant dates including
a schedule for completion;
and
A copy of the executed
contract including who
will perform the contracted
work.
Q.
How will I know if my
plan of corrective action
is approved?
A. The
Bureau of Elevator Safety
will send a letter to
your mailing address,
on record with the bureau,
notifying you of the outcome
of the bureau’s
review of your plan of
corrective action.
Q.
What if I submit a plan
of corrective action,
but it is not approved?
A. If
your plan of corrective
action is not approved;
you must either submit
a new plan or correct
the violations within
90 days from the date
the Order to Correct was
issued.
Q.
What if the violations
cannot be corrected within
the 180 days required
by the plan of corrective
action option?
A. Immediately
contact the Bureau of
Elevator Safety at 850.487.1395. |
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