I've been informed by my good friend, Bill Mitchell, Schindler
Elevator Corp., of a major change in the requirement for shunt-trip power
disconnection in California. The Office
of the State Fire Marshal (SFM) has made changes to the 2010 edition of the
California Building Code (CBC), based on the 2009 International Building Code
(IBC). The entire text of the changes is
available online at:
You might note that the title of this document reads:
FINAL EXPRESS TERMS FOR PROPOSED
BUILDING STANDARDS OF THE OFFICE OF THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL REGARDING THE 2010
CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE CALIFORNIA CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 24, PART 2 2010
INTERIM RULEMAKING CYCLE
However, a representative of the SFM indicated that these
changes to the regulations have formally been adopted by the California
Building Standard Committee. You may
wish to verify this on your own but I am assured that this is now a part of the
new California Fire Code.
I’ve copied and pasted below the specific section of the
referenced document:
CHAPTER 30 - ELEVATORS AND
CONVEYING SYSTEMS
3006.4.1 Automatic sprinkler
system. Automatic sprinklers shall not be required to be installed in the
elevator hoistway, elevator machine room, elevator machinery space, elevator
control space, or elevator control room where all the following are met:
1. Approved smoke detectors shall be installed
in the elevator hoistway, elevator machine room, elevator machinery spaces,
elevator control spaces, or elevator control rooms and connected to the
building fire alarm system in accordance with Section 907.
2. Activation of any smoke detector located in
the elevator hoistway, elevator machine room, elevator machinery space,
elevator control space, or elevator control room shall cause the actuation of
the building fire alarm notification appliances in accordance with 907.
3. Activation of any smoke detector located in
the elevator hoistway, elevator machine room, elevator machinery space,
elevator control space, or elevator control room shall cause all elevators
having any equipment located in that elevator hoistway, elevator machine room,
elevator machinery space, elevator control space, or elevator control room to
recall nonstop to the appropriate designated floor in accordance with CCR Title
8, Division 1, Chapter 4, Subchapter 6, Elevator Safety Orders.
4. The elevator machine
room, elevator machinery space, elevator control space, or elevator control
room shall be enclosed with fire barriers constructed in accordance with
Section 707 or horizontal assemblies constructed in accordance with Section
712, or both. The fire-resistance rating shall not be less than the required
rating of the hoistway enclosure served by the machinery. Openings in the fire
barriers shall be protected with assemblies having a fire protection rating not
less than that required for the hoistway enclosure doors. The exceptions to Section 3006.4 shall not
apply.
5. The building fire alarm system shall be
monitored by an approved supervising station in accordance with 907.
6. An approved sign shall be permanently
displayed in the elevator machine room, elevator machinery space, elevator
control space, or elevator control room in a conspicuous location with a
minimum of 1½ inch letters on a contrasting background, stating: NO COMBUSTIBLE
STORAGE PERMITTED IN THIS ROOM By Order
of the Fire Marshal [or name of fire authority]
This is great news as most in our industry have long argued
against having machine rooms, control rooms and hoistways sprinkled and the
power shunt-tripped. I’m proceeding with
the engineering of a number of elevator major alterations where we are verifying
or correcting the fire-resistive nature of the elevator spaces and removing all
of the sprinklers.
As always, I must qualify that you should independently
verify all code questions with the proper authorities having jurisdiction.
Cheers,
Your Code Reporter
Rich Blaska
