Current through Reg. 49, No. 38; September 20, 2024
(a)
Elevators. All buildings that have patient services located on other than the
main entrance floor shall have electric or electrohydraulic elevators. The
elevators shall be installed in sufficient quantity, capacity, and speed to
ensure that the average interval of dispatch time will not exceed 1 minute, and
average peak loading can be accommodated. Elevators shall also give access to
all building levels normally used by the public. Escalators and conveyors are
not required but, when provided, shall comply with these requirements and the
requirement of §20.3 of the National Fire Protection Association 101, Life
Safety Code, 2003 Edition (NFPA 101), published by the National Fire Protection
Association. All documents published by the NFPA as referenced in this section
may be obtained by writing or calling the NFPA at the following address and
telephone number: P.O. Box 9101, 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, Massachusetts
02269-9101, (800) 344-3555.
(b)
Requirements for new elevators, escalators, and conveyors. New elevators,
escalators and conveyors shall be installed in accordance with the requirements
of Health and Safety Code, Chapter 754, Elevators, Escalators, and Related
Equipment, and A17.1 Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators, 2000 edition,
published by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the
American National Standards Institute (ANSI). All documents published by the
ASME/ANSI as referenced in this section may be obtained by writing the ANSI,
United Engineering Center, 345 East 47th Street, New York, New York 10017.
(1) Location. Elevators shall not open to an
exit.
(2) Elevator car size. A
facility located above the ground floor must have an elevator of sufficient
size to accommodate a gurney available at all times. Minimum elevator car size
shall at least 5 feet 8 inches wide by 8 feet 6 inches deep.
(3) Car door opening. The smallest elevator
car door opening shall be at least 3 feet wide and 7 feet high.
(4) Elevator and elevator shaft doors. When
light beams are used for operating door opening devices, the beams shall be
used in combination with door edge devices and shall be interconnected with a
system of smoke detectors. The light control feature shall be disengaged when
smoke is detected in any elevator lobby.
(5) Type of controls and alarms. Elevator
call buttons, controls, and door safety stops shall be of a type that will not
be activated by heat or smoke.
(6)
Leveling. All elevators shall be equipped with an automatic leveling device of
the two-way automatic maintaining type with an accuracy of one-half
inch.
(7) Operation. All elevators,
except freight elevators, shall be equipped with a two-way key operated service
switch permitting cars to bypass all landing button calls and be dispatched
directly to any floor.
(8)
Accessibility of controls and alarms. Elevator controls, alarm buttons, and
telephones shall be accessible to wheelchair occupants in accordance with the
Americans with Disabilities Act.
(9) Smoke detection system. A smoke detection
system for elevator recall shall be located in elevator lobbies, elevator
machine rooms and at the top of elevator hoist ways as required by NFPA 72,
§6.15.3.10.
(A) The elevator recall
smoke detection system in new construction shall comply with requirements of
American Society of Mechanical Engineers/American National Standards Institute
(ASME/ANSI) A17.1, Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators, 2000 edition. The
publications of the ASME/ANSI referenced in this section may be obtained by
writing ASME/ANSI, United Engineering Center, 345 East 47th Street, New York,
New York 10017.
(B) The elevator
recall smoke detection system in existing facilities shall comply with
requirements of ASME/ANSI A17.3, Safety Code for Existing Elevators and
Escalators, 2002 edition.
(10) Elevator machine rooms. Elevator machine
rooms that contain solid-state equipment for elevators having a travel distance
of more than 50 feet above the level of exit discharge or more than 30 feet
below the level of exit discharge shall be provided with independent
ventilation or air conditioning systems with the capability to maintain an
operating temperature during fire fighter service operations. The operating
temperature shall be established by the elevator equipment manufacturer's
specifications and shall be posted in each elevator machine room. When standby
power is connected to the elevator, the machine room ventilation or air
conditioning shall be connected to standby power. These requirements are not
applicable to existing elevators.
(11) Testing. A facility shall have all
elevators and escalators routinely and periodically inspected and tested as
specified in ASME/ANSI A17.1, Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators, 2000
edition. All elevators equipped with fire fighter service shall be subject to a
monthly operation with a written record of the findings made and kept on the
premises as required by NFPA 101, §9.4.6.
(12) Certification. A facility shall obtain a
certificate of inspection evidencing that the elevators, escalators, conveyors,
and related equipment were inspected in accordance with the requirements in
Health and Safety Code, Chapter 754, Subchapter B, and determined to be in
compliance with the safety standards adopted under Health and Safety Code,
§
754.014,
administered by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. The
certificate of inspection shall be on record in each facility.
