§ 7.57. Elevator cars.
(a) Elevator cars shall be constructed according to the following:
(1) Existing installations. Passenger elevator cars shall be completely enclosed, except at the door or gate openings. The tops and sides of such elevator cars may be of grillework or other open construction, if the places opposite moving parts which are within 4 inches of the car are covered with a wire screen having a mesh of not more than 3/8 inch to a height of at least 6 feet.
(2) New installations. The cars of passenger elevators shall be enclosed, except at door or gate openings. Such enclosures shall be of solid construction, to a height of not less than 6 feet above the car floor. Above the solid panel and extending to the top frame of the car, open work may be used, if the spacing between the members does not exceed 1 inch. That portion of the car enclosure bordering on the counterweight runways shall be of solid construction to its full height, or of wire mesh not less than No. 10 standard steel wire gauge or .135 inch diameter. Expanded metal, when used, shall not be less than No. 18 U.S. gauge or .05 inch in size, which will reject a ball 3/8 inch in diameter. Car frames shall be constructed of wrought iron or steel. The tops of passenger elevator cars shall be constructed to sustain a concentrated load of 150 pounds at any point. Any material used for insulating, padding, sound-deadening, decorative purposes, or any material used for light diffusion in passenger elevator cars shall conform to Rule 204.2, Subparagraph 2 including exception of ANSI A17.1-1971.
(b) Car openings shall conform to the following:
(1) The cars of passenger elevators shall not have door or gate openings on more than two sides. Such openings shall have sliding or rolling doors or collapsing gates. When collapsing gates are used, the openings in the fully expanded gates shall not exceed 3 inches.
(2) Doors or gates shall be equipped with an electrical or mechanical device so constructed and installed that the car will be immovable when the doors or gates are open.
(3) When collapsible car gates on automatic or double-button-controlled passenger elevators are opened by power, approved curtains or other approved devices shall be provided. Curtains are required only on power-operated collapsible car gates when the opening movement of the gate is sufficient to cause a shearing hazard. When curtains are used they shall be at least 4 feet in height and extend from approximately 1 foot of the car platform to 5 feet from the car platform.
(4) When self-leveling or floor-finding devices are installed on elevators, the car gate may be open while the elevator is leveling without interference with the operating circuit, if the shaftway is flush and the car is provided with an apron which exceeds the length of the leveling zone.
(5) When the requirements of this rule are not met on existing elevators the continued use of such elevators is subject to the approval of the Board.
(c) Emergency exits for elevator cars shall be provided as follows:
(1) The cars of passenger elevators shall have trapdoors located in the top enclosure of such size as to afford an easy means of egress for passengers. Such exits shall not contain fans or light fixtures. Such trap doors shall be installed so that they may be opened from the outside of the car enclosure only.
(2) When two or more cars operate in contiguous shaftways, and the distance between car platforms does not exceed 2 feet 6 inches, and when there are no intervening shaftway partitions, counterweights, or any fixed obstructions between the car, additional means of egress shall be provided in the sides of the cars. If such elevators are not permitted to have side exits, each elevator shall be treated as though it were in a single shaftway. Plunger oil hydraulic elevators are excluded, provided that all shaftway doors are equipped with emergency key-ways.
(3) Side exits shall be located so that they are not obstructed by car frame members, and, if possible, traveling cables and other hoistway equipment shall not be located in line with or so as to obstruct the exit. Exits from adjacent cars shall be directly opposite each other to allow easy transfer of passengers. Such exit doors shall be installed so that they may be opened from the inside and the outside of the car enclosure.
(4) Emergency trap doors and side exits shall be equipped with electric contacts to prevent the operation of the car when the panel or trap door is opened or removed.
(5) The cars of existing passenger elevators shall have trapdoors located in the top enclosure of such size to afford an easy means of egress for passengers. When two or more cars are operated in contiguous shaftways, additional means of egress may be provided in the sides of the cars.
(d) When double-deck elevators are installed, operating, emergency, and door safety equipment shall be installed in each cab or compartment in accordance with this chapter.
(e) No device shall be installed in elevator cars for the purpose of operating car doors or gates unless approved by the Board.
Source The provisions of this § 7.57 amended through January 27, 1978, 8 Pa.B. 251. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (8072).
Cross References This section cited in 34 Pa. Code § 7.71 (relating to conflicts).
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