Elevator Safety & Emergency Operations
ASME A17.1 & Fire Service Features

Elevator Safety Overview

Elevators are among the most regulated building systems in any occupied structure. ASME A17.1, the Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators, is the primary standard governing the design, installation, operation, testing, and maintenance of elevator systems in North America. The International Building Code (IBC Chapter 30) references A17.1 directly, and most state and local jurisdictions adopt it as law IBC 3001.2.

From a fire and life safety perspective, elevators serve a dual role: during normal operations they are a convenience; during a fire emergency they become a critical tool for fire department operations and, in some buildings, a designated means of evacuation for persons with mobility impairments. Understanding fire service features, testing obligations, and machine room requirements is essential for every facility manager and safety professional.

Phase I — Automatic Elevator Recall

Phase I Emergency Recall Service is the automatic function that returns all elevators to a designated floor (typically the lobby) and opens the doors when the fire alarm system detects smoke in an elevator-related area. This prevents passengers from being delivered to a fire floor and removes elevators from general public use so they are available for fire department operations ASME A17.1 2.27.3.1.

Initiating Devices

NFPA 72 and A17.1 require smoke detectors at specific locations that trigger Phase I recall:

• Elevator lobby — a smoke detector on each floor within 21 feet of the elevator entrance. Activation on any floor recalls all elevators in that group.
• Elevator machine room — a detector in the machine room (or machine space for machine-room-less elevators). This activation recalls elevators to an alternate floor rather than the lobby, because the machine room fire could compromise elevator safety at the primary recall level.
• Elevator hoistway — if the hoistway is sprinklered, a detector at the top of the hoistway is required. Activation typically triggers alternate-floor recall NFPA 72 21.3.

When Phase I activates, all elevators in the affected group immediately cancel registered calls, proceed to the recall floor without stopping, open their doors, and remain stationary with doors open. The key switch at the recall floor indicates "FIRE RECALL" status. Elevators cannot be returned to normal service until the fire alarm condition is cleared and the key switch is manually reset.

Phase II — Fire Department Emergency Operation

After Phase I recall brings all elevators to the lobby, firefighters use Phase II to take manual control of individual cars. Phase II is activated by inserting a standardized fire department key into the in-car key switch ASME A17.1 2.27.3.3.

In Phase II mode, the elevator operates under direct firefighter control:

• The car responds only to the in-car controls — no hall calls are accepted.
• Doors operate on a constant-pressure ("dead man") basis — the firefighter must hold the door-open or door-close button continuously. Releasing the button stops door movement as a safety measure.
• The car will not automatically open doors upon arrival at a floor. The firefighter must press and hold the door-open button, which allows them to check conditions before committing to exiting.
• Emergency stop switches remain functional.
• If the car stops between floors, the firefighter can use the door-open button to open the hoistway door at the nearest landing (within the unlocking zone).

Phase II is the only safe way for firefighters to use elevators during a fire. Operating an elevator without Phase II activation risks the car stopping at a fire floor with automatic door opening — a potentially fatal scenario.

Testing & Inspection Schedule

ASME A17.1 and the companion inspection guide A17.2 establish minimum testing frequencies. Most jurisdictions also impose their own requirements through elevator licensing boards:

• Monthly — Fire Service Test: Phase I recall and Phase II operation must be tested monthly by the building's elevator maintenance contractor. Verify that smoke detectors properly trigger recall, that the car returns to the designated floor, and that Phase II key operation functions correctly. Document all results ASME A17.1 8.6.1.2.
• Annually — Category 1 Inspection: A comprehensive inspection and test performed by a qualified elevator inspector (QEI). Covers safety devices, door operation, leveling, car and counterweight safeties (visually), governor, buffers, emergency communication, lighting, and ventilation. No full-load or speed testing is required for Category 1.
• Every 5 Years — Category 5 Inspection: The most rigorous periodic test. Includes full-load safety tests where the car is loaded to 125% of rated capacity and the safeties are physically tripped during a controlled descent. Governor tripping speed is verified. Buffer compression tests are performed. This test requires the elevator to be taken completely out of service ASME A17.2 Table N-1.

All tests must be witnessed by a licensed elevator inspector employed by or contracted through the AHJ. Test reports must be maintained in the machine room (or a designated building location) and made available during regulatory inspections.

Machine Room Requirements

Elevator machine rooms house the drive motor, controller, governor, and electrical supply equipment. Because of their critical function, machine rooms have specific code requirements:

• Fire Rating: Machine room walls, floors, and ceilings must be rated to match the hoistway enclosure — typically 2-hour fire-rated construction for buildings four or more stories IBC 3006.4.
• Ventilation: The room must maintain a maximum temperature of 90 °F (32 °C) and a minimum of 55 °F (13 °C) to protect electronic controllers and drive equipment. Dedicated HVAC or ventilation is usually required. Ventilation systems must not introduce contaminants from other building areas.
• Sprinklers: When the building is fully sprinklered, the machine room must be sprinklered as well — but sprinkler heads must be guarded or located to avoid water damage to controllers. Some AHJs require a pre-action system in machine rooms. A sprinkler head activation in the machine room triggers an alarm and should be tied into the building fire alarm system NFPA 13 8.15.5.
• Access: Machine rooms must be accessible only to authorized personnel. The door must be self-closing, self-locking, and open outward. The room must be kept free of storage and non-elevator-related equipment.
• Emergency Lighting: A dedicated emergency power circuit must supply machine room lighting so maintenance can be performed during a power outage.
• Smoke Detection: A smoke detector inside the machine room is required per NFPA 72 and triggers Phase I alternate-floor recall.

Entrapment Procedures

Passenger entrapment (a car stopped between floors with passengers inside) is the most common elevator emergency. Every facility should have a documented entrapment response procedure:

• Communication: ASME A17.1 requires a two-way emergency communication device in every car. This is typically an emergency phone or intercom connected to a continuously monitored location (building security desk or an elevator monitoring service) ASME A17.1 2.27.1.1.
• Do not force doors: Passengers must be instructed (through the communication device) to remain calm and not attempt to pry doors open or exit the car. The car may not be level with a floor, and the hoistway presents a fall hazard.
• Trained response: Only trained elevator technicians or firefighters should attempt to release trapped passengers. Building security or maintenance staff should not attempt hoistway door unlocking unless they have received specific elevator rescue training from the elevator maintenance contractor.
• Response time: Most elevator maintenance contracts specify a maximum response time for entrapment calls — typically 30-60 minutes. If the contractor cannot respond within this window, fire department assistance should be requested.

Frequently Asked Questions

References