Sprinklers in elevator Shafts

[Nick Markowitz]

Im helping a local electrical contractor bid a fire job and it has the
sprinkler head requirement with shunt trip breaker arangement to shut off
power when sprinkler activates. I have added an addendum that my firm and
electrical contractor are held faultless indemnified if something goes wrong
,and i cited all the problems with this arangement
including the fact that shunt trip breaker can and do go bad and fail to
operate and occupant of elevator cab could become trapped, injured or killed
..I included the article i did for Pa firemans magazine as well needless to
say this turned a few heads. I do not see the sprinler head being used at
this point after all the liabilties were raised. has any one else delt with
this issue. and what was AHJ etc response.

--
Nick Markowitz Jr.
Owner
Markowitz Electric Protection
Private Industry Fire Investigator.
Qualified Electrical- Fire Alarm Contractor

Contributing Editor Pa. Firemans Magazine
Staff Editor www.securitymission.com
Senior Correspondant www.1strespondernews.com
Senior Affilliate www.nbfd.us
Contributor www.monyoughfire.com
Contract Broadcast Engineer WAVL 910 AM apollo Pa.

 

[jewellfish]

This situation is quite common in our area.

I can only speak as to the fire alarm portion of this subject, as the
rest is under the mantle of the elevator code.

If the hoist way, pit and mechanical rooms have sprinkler heads, then
there MUST be a heat detector (located within 2 feet of the sprinkler
head) designed to activate BEFORE the sprinkler activates. The fire
alarm system should then activate a relay which fires the shunt-trip
and shuts the elevator down.

The rational behind this is that, water is a bad thing for proper
elevator function.

As you are aware, firefighters can override elevator recall functions,
in order to evacuate the building or just do what they need to do. The
shunt trip is to stop all use of the elevator before release of water
and possible catastrophic equipment failure.

I am assuming that you are familiar with basic fire alarm installation
and releaze that the shunt trip must be a part of the fire alarm system
and that the power to activate the shunt trip must be supervised.

If your electrician friend still has questions about elevator recall
and shunt trip requirements, he may wish to speak with the elevator
inspector for your area, as they are really the ones who will be
inspecting for proper operation. At least they are the ones who are
responsible in our area; the local fire AHJ is not typically, looking
at this area of the fire alarm system.

Hope some of this helped.

On the bright side, since this is a requirement under the code, your
friend can't be held responsible if it works properly and shuts the
elevator down.

Regards,
Bill

 

[Nick Markowitz]

Thats the problem The shunt trip breakers are unrelaible and have been know
to fail to trip and shut power off.
i have 2 such cases were they were used to shut down multiple power sources.
NEC no longer allows there use becuse of this but ANSI says to use them.
Either way after talking to AHJ he hasdetermined he does not want the
liabilty. and is using the option were car contrcution design allows
sprinkler head to be exempted.

 

[Rocky T Squirrel]

If the elevator shaft is a brick/block or fire rated area sprinklers are
not an issue.
take em out...

 

[Robert L Bass]

If the elevator shaft is a brick/block or fire rated area

sprinklers are not an issue. take em out...

Are you suggesting he remove a working fire suppression system?

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

Bass Burglar Alarms
The Online DIY Store
http://www.BassBurglarAlarms.com

 

[Rocky T Squirrel]

thats what the inspector told us to do..
only requirement was to make sure the pass through holes were completely
sealed after the water pipes were removed.

 

[Michael Baker]

Sounds like Massachusetts.