Safety Code for Existing Elevators and Escalators

Includes Requirements for Electric and Hydraulic Elevators and Escalators

AN A MERICAN NA TIONAL S T AND ARD

ASME A17.3-2015

(Revision of ASME A17.3-2011)

ASME A17.3-2015

(Revision of ASME A17.3-2011)

Safety Code for Existing Elevators and Escalators

Includes Requirements for Electric and Hydraulic Elevators and Escalators

AN AMERICAN NA TIONAL S T AND ARD

Two Park Avenue • New York, NY • 10016 USA

Date of Issuance: August 28, 2015

The next edition of this Code is scheduled for publication in 2018. This Code will become effective 6 months after the Date of Issuance.

ASME issues written replies to inquiries concerning interpretations of technical aspects of this Code. The interpretations will be included with each edition. Interpretations are also published on the ASME Web site under the Committee Pages at https://cstools.asme.org as they are issued.

Errata to codes and standards may be posted on the ASME Web site under the Committee Pages to provide corrections to incorrectly published items, or to correct typographical or grammatical errors in codes and standards. Such errata shall be used on the date posted.

The Committee Pages can be found at https://cstools.asme.org/. There is an option available to automatically receive an e-mail notification when errata are posted to a particular code or standard. This option can be found on the appropriate Committee Page after selecting “Errata” in the “Publication Information” section.

ASME is the registered trademark of The American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

This code or standard was developed under procedures accredited as meeting the criteria for American National Standards. The Standards Committee that approved the code or standard was balanced to assure that individuals from competent and concerned interests have had an opportunity to participate. The proposed code or standard was made available for public review and comment that provides an opportunity for additional public input from industry, academia, regulatory agencies, and the public-at-large.

ASME does not “approve,” “rate,” or “endorse” any item, construction, proprietary device, or activity.

ASME does not take any position with respect to the validity of any patent rights asserted in connection with any items mentioned in this document, and does not undertake to insure anyone utilizing a standard against liability for infringement of any applicable letters patent, nor assumes any such liability. Users of a code or standard are expressly advised that determination of the validity of any such patent rights, and the risk of infringement of such rights, is entirely their own responsibility.

Participation by federal agency representative(s) or person(s) affiliated with industry is not to be interpreted as government or industry endorsement of this code or standard.

ASME accepts responsibility for only those interpretations of this document issued in accordance with the established ASME procedures and policies, which precludes the issuance of interpretations by individuals.

No part of this document may be reproduced in any form, in an electronic retrieval system or otherwise,

without the prior written permission of the publisher.

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers Two Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016-5990

Copyright © 2015 by

THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS

All rights reserved Printed in U.S.A.

CONTENTS

Foreword vi

Committee Roster viii

Preface xiii

Summary of Changes xvi

iii

Part V Escalators 45

Scope 45

1. Construction 45

2. Brakes 46

3. Operating and Safety Devices 46

4. Lighting of Escalators 47

5. Entrance and Egress Ends 47

Part VI Dumbwaiters 50

Scope 50

1. Hoistway, Hoistway Enclosures, and Related Construction 50

2. Machinery and Equipment for Hand and Electric Dumbwaiters 51

3. Machinery and Equipment for Hydraulic Dumbwaiters 53

Part VII Hand Elevators 55

Scope 55

1. Hoistway, Hoistway Enclosures, and Related Construction 55

2. Machinery and Equipment 56

Part VIII Sidewalk Elevators 58

Scope 58

1. Hoistway, Hoistway Enclosures, and Machine Rooms 58

2. Machinery and Equipment 58

Part IX Moving Walks 61

Scope 61

1. Protection of Floor Openings 61

2. Protection of Supports and Machine Spaces Against Fire 61

3. Construction Requirements 61

4. Entrance and Egress Ends 62

5. Driving Machine, Motor, and Brake 62

6. Operating and Safety Devices 62

7. Lighting and Access 64

Part X Private Residence Elevators 65

Scope 65

1. Hoistway, Hoistway Enclosures, and Related Construction 65

2. Cars 67

3. Counterweights 67

4. Safeties and Governors 68

5. Car and Counterweight Guide Rails and Fastenings 68

6. Car and Counterweight Buffers 68

7. Driving Machines, Sheaves, and Their Supports 68

8. Terminal Stopping Devices 70

9. Operating Devices and Control Equipment 70

10. Emergency Signal Devices 71

11. Limitation of Load, Speed, and Rise 71

12. Marking Plates 71

13. Suspension Means 71

Figures

3.7.1 Inside Net Platform Areas for Passenger Elevators 33

5.3.11 Caution Sign 48

Tables

1.6(a) Reference Documents 18

1.6(b) Procurement Information 19

3.7.1 Maximum Inside Net Platform Areas for the Various Rated Loads 33

1. Minimum Factors of Safety for Suspension Wire Ropes 39

   iv

   Nonmandatory Appendices

   1. Distances Between Hoistway Doors and Car Doors or Gates 73

   2. Types of Roped-Hydraulic Elevators 78

C A17.1–1987, Rules 211.3–211.8 (See 3.11.3) 79

D Rack and Pinion Machines (A17.1–1987, Rules 208.3–208.9d,

and Rule 1200.4e) 82

Index 84

v

FOREWORD

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) has published since 1921 a safety code for elevators, escalators, and related equipment. The following is a brief history of how the various editions of this Code addressed the matter of retroactive requirements for existing installations.

The 1921 edition did not differentiate between new and existing installations.

The second edition (1925) and third edition (1931) contained the following statements in their Introductions:

“New and Old Installations. After the date on which the Code becomes effective, all new construction and installations shall conform to its provisions. Equipment installed prior to that date need not, however, be modified to conform to its rules except where required by the key number opposite the rule. Reference figures attached to the various rules or paragraphs indicate when such rules or paragraphs become effective when applied to existing installations as follows:

Key to Index Figures

1. To be applied immediately.

2. Not to be applied to existing installations.

3. To be applied to existing installations only to the extent ordered by the administrative authority.

4. To be applied to existing installations when next renewal of cables or other parts affected is made.

(6) To be applied to existing installations six months after the adoption of this Code.

(12) To be applied to existing installations 1 year (12 months) after the adoption of this Code.

(24) To be applied to existing installations two years after the adoption of this Code.” This practice was discontinued with the fourth edition. Quoting from ASA A17.1–1937:

“This Edition of the Code makes no reference to the application of the individual rules to Existing Installations, and the key numbers in the previous Edition have been omitted. This matter is left to the authorities drafting legal regulations, who are familiar with the local conditions. A too extensive retroactive application is not advisable in any case. The Code contains many rules intended to obviate minor hazards which can be easily eliminated in a new installation, but the change of an existing installation might involve a financial outlay entirely out of proportion to the benefits secured.

“The Sectional Committee recommends that rules for hoistway-door interlocks, car- gate contacts, hoistway limit switches, and the entire Part VI (Inspection, Maintenance, and Operation) be made applicable to every installation already existing at the time of the adoption of the Code, and that provisions be made also to secure adequate under- car safeties for such installations.”

This practice remained essentially unchanged through all later editions of the Code. Only the requirements for inspection, maintenance, alteration, repair, and replacement apply retroactively to existing installations. Quoting from the Preface of ANSI/ASME A17.1–1981:

“Not all of the Rules of the Code apply to equipment installed prior to its adoption by jurisdictional authorities, but those which do apply to existing as well as to new installations are outlined under Scope in the Introduction.

“The Code contains many Rules intended to obviate hazards which can be avoided in new installations; but, if such Rules were made to apply to existing installations, they would entail financial outlay out of proportion to the benefits derived.

“In view of past accident experience resulting in serious injuries at hoistway and car entrances, it is recommended that, as a minimum, the Rules covering safety requirements

vi

for hoistway and car doors in this Code be made to also apply to existing elevator installations.

“The accident experience on elevators has also indicated that accidents occur on the older existing equipment, especially with a winding-drum-type machine and where the car safety device and the terminal stopping devices are either absent or inadequate. It is, therefore, recommended that adequate under-car safeties and terminal stopping devices be required for existing installations as well as new installations.

“On the basis of experience supported by accident records, the jurisdictional authority adopting the Code should decide on what requirements, if any, are to be applied to existing installations.”

Numerous state and local jurisdictions had taken this advice and developed their own codes for existing installations. The need for a nationally recognized consensus code for existing installations became evident and the ASME A17 Elevator and Escalator Committee undertook the task and issued the first edition of the A17.3 Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators in 1986.

The second edition of the Code incorporated the revisions in A17.3a–1989 as well as additional revisions that appear for the first time in this edition.

The third edition of the Code incorporated the changes made in A17.3a–1991 and A17.3b–1992 as well as the revisions shown in the Summary of Changes. Part VII, Hand Elevator, and Part VIII, Sidewalk Elevator, appear for the first time in this edition.

The fourth edition of the Code incorporated the changes made in A17.3a–1994 and A17.3b–1995 as well as the revisions shown in the Summary of Changes. Part X, Private Residence Elevators, and Nonmandatory Appendix D appear for the first time in this edition.

The fifth edition of the Code incorporated the changes made in A17.3a–2000 as well as the revisions shown in the Summary of Changes.

This sixth edition of the Code incorporated the changes made in A17.3–2002 as well as the revisions shown in the Summary of Changes.

The seventh edition of the Code incorporated the changes made in A17.3–2005 as well as the revisions shown in the Summary of Changes.

The eighth edition of the Code incorporated the changes made in A17.3–2008 as well as the revisions shown in the Summary of Changes.

The ninth edition of the Code incorporated the changes made in A17.3–2011 as well as the revisions shown in the Summary of Changes.

The following is a list of the final approval dates, dates of issuance, and effective dates for the previous and current editions and addenda: