Subchapter 6. Elevator Safety Orders
Article 7. Hoistways, Hoistway Enclosures, and Related Construction for Power Cable-Driven Passenger and Freight Elevators

§3011. Machine Rooms and Machinery Spaces.

(a) Enclosure of Machine Rooms and Machinery Spaces. The enclosure shall be building walls, ceiling material, and fireproofing conforming to the governing building codes. The material and height limitations outlined in this section establish the minimum standards for machine room enclosures. These regulations are not intended to supersede applicable local building codes establishing higher standards.

(1) Elevator driving machines, motor generator sets, controllers, and auxiliary control equipment shall be installed in a room or enclosure set aside for that purpose.

Exception to subsection 3011(A)(1):

Machines and associated equipment as installed before June 5, 1947, in machine rooms or machinery spaces accessible only to authorized attendants.


(2) Enclosures shall be of substantial construction at least 6 ft (1.83m) high, and if of openwork material shall reject a ball 2 in. (51mm) in diameter.

(b) Equipment in Machine Rooms of Power Elevators.

(1) Where the elevator machine and control equipment are located at the top of the hoistway, they may be located in a room or space containing other machinery and equipment essential to the operation of the building, provided that they are separated from the other machinery or equipment by a substantial metal grille enclosure not less than 6 ft (1.83m)high with a door or gate conforming to Section 3011(d). The grille enclosure shall be of a design which will reject a ball 2 in. (51mm) in diameter.

(A) Elevated machine or control areas within an equipment room shall have a wall or enclosure, including access means, that provides a barrier not less than 6 ft (1.83m) high above the adjacent floor. The raised platform shall be guarded by at least a standard guardrail with a standard toeboard.

(2) Where the elevator machine and control equipment are not located at the top of the hoistway, a separate machine room shall be provided and only machinery and equipment required for the operation of the elevator shall be permitted in the elevator machine room.

(3) The enclosure for the elevator equipment shall be arranged so that passage through the machine room or enclosure is not necessary to gain access to other equipment or other parts of the building.

Exception: Passage to enclosed equipment installed within the elevator machine room to provide the ventilation required by Section 3011(f)(2)(A).

(4) Elevator machine rooms or enclosed areas shall be kept free of all materials except those used for repair or maintenance of the elevator. Machine rooms shall be kept reasonably clean.

(c) Access to Machine Rooms and Machinery Spaces. Permanent means for safe and convenient access shall be provided to all machine rooms, overhead sheave spaces provided with a floor, and secondary levels. This access shall be independent of the hoistway or car.

(1) Where passage over roofs is necessary to reach the means of access to machine rooms or machinery spaces, the following requirements shall be conformed to:

(A) A stairway, conforming to applicable building codes shall be provided from the top floor of the building to the exit door at the roof level.

(B) Where the passage is over a sloping roof having a slope exceeding 15 degrees from the horizontal, an unobstructed, permanent, and substantial walkway not less than 24 in. (610mm) wide, equipped on at least one side with a standard railing, shall be provided from the building exit door at the roof level to the means of access to the machine room or machinery spaces.

(2) The means of access to machine rooms or to machinery spaces shall conform to the following:

(A) Where the floor of the machine room or of the machinery space is more than 8 in. (203mm) above or below the floor or roof from which the means of access leads, stairs, or ladders shall be provided between such levels.

(B) Where the difference in levels is not more than 3 ft (914mm), a vertical ladder with handgrips may be provided.

(C) Where the difference in levels is more than 3 ft (914mm), stairs having a maximum angle of 60 degrees from the horizontal and equipped with a standard stair railing shall be provided.

Exceptions to subsection 3011(c)(2)(C):

1. Alternating tread stairs as permitted by Section 3234 of the General Industry Safety Orders.

2. Vertical ladders may be used where the differences in level are more than 3 ft (914mm)for access from interior building floors or from machine rooms to machinery spaces containing overhead sheaves, secondary and deflecting sheaves, or governors.

(D) A platform shall be provided at the top of stairs or ladders conforming to and where required by Article 4 of the General Industry Safety Orders.

(E) Standard handrails, guardrails, toeboards, and stair railings shall conform to the regulations of Article 2 of the General Industry Safety Orders.

(d) Access Doors.

(1) Elevator machine rooms or enclosures shall be secured against unauthorized access. Access doors shall be provided for all elevator machine rooms or enclosures and shall conform to the following:

(A) Have a minimum width of 30 in. (762mm) and a minimum height of 6 ft (1.83m) for machine rooms and a minimum height of 30 in. (762mm) for other spaces specified in Sections 3011(e)(2) and 3011(e)(3).

(B) Be self-closing.

(C) Be provided with a spring-type lock to permit the door to be opened from the inside without a key.

Exception to subsection 3011(d)(1)(C):

Doors are not required at openings in machine room floors for access to deflecting and secondary sheave spaces provided the floor access opening is provided on all four sides with a standard railing, one side of which is arranged to slide or swing to provide access to the ladder or stairs leading to the secondary sheave space. Trap doors, where provided, shall have standard railings or guard wings on all open sides and shall be arranged to be secured in the open position. See Section 3011(e)(3).

(D) Keys to access the elevator machine rooms and machinery space enclosures shall be kept in the elevator pit. The keys shall be properly identified, located near the pit stop switch and shall be accessible from the pit access door. In buildings with banks of multiple elevators, the keys shall be kept in the elevator pit of the elevator with the lowest state identification number.

(e) Headroom in Machine Rooms and Overhead Machinery Spaces.

(1) Elevator machine rooms and machinery spaces not located over the hoistway shall have a headroom of not less than 7 ft (2.13m).

(2) Where a floor is provided at the top of the hoistway, elevator machine rooms and overhead machinery spaces above such floor shall have a clear headroom of not less than the following:

(A) Machine, control, and motor generator rooms, 7 ft (2.13m).

(B) Spaces containing only overhead, secondary or deflecting sheaves, 42 in. (1.06m).

(C) Spaces containing only overhead, secondary or deflecting sheaves, and governors, 54 in. (1.37m).

(D) Under Sections 3011(e)(2)(B) and 3011(e)(2)(C), the machine or supporting beams may encroach on the required headroom provided there is a clearance of not less than 3 ft (914mm) below the underside of machine beams or not less than 3 ft (914mm) above the top of overhead sheave supporting beams with at least a 2-ft (609mm)-wide clear passageway.

(3) Separate access to each secondary or deflecting sheave space shall be provided unless a clear passageway not less than 4 ft (1.22m) high and 2 ft (610mm) wide is provided from one space to another in multiple hoistway installations. This height may be reduced to 3 ft (914mm) between the machine beams and the sheave space floor.

(f) Lighting and Ventilation of Machine Rooms and Machinery Spaces.

(1) Permanent lighting and convenience outlets shall be provided and installed to comply with the requirements of CCR, Title 24, Part 3, Article 620.

(2) Machine rooms shall be provided with uniform natural or mechanical ventilation of sufficient capacity to maintain a temperature of not more than 104o F (40o C) regardless of outside temperature.

(A) Where mechanical ventilation equipment is provided, it shall be located outside the elevator machine room, where possible. When located within the machine room, it shall be isolated from the elevator equipment by an enclosure conforming to Section 3011(a).

(g) Work Space Required in Machine Rooms and Machinery Spaces.

(1) There shall be a clear work space and passageway at least 18 in. (457mm) wide on at least three sides of every elevator machine.

EXCEPTION to subsection 3011(g)(1):

A second side of the machine may be partially or totally blocked by an enclosure or equipment, thereby reducing the required work space and passageway, provided the following are conformed to:

1. Safe access to and a minimum of 18 in. (457mm) work space is provided for machine parts that require inspection, service, and adjustment when the machine is in operation; and

2. Parts that normally do not require service, repair, or inspection when the machine is in operation shall be provided with access, or can be made accessible when protective guards, etc., are removed, and adequate work space to perform the work is provided.

Note: The intent of this regulation is to locate the machine, with respect to the adjacent enclosure and other machine room equipment, so that safe and convenient access is provided for inspection, service, and adjustment.

Safe working conditions for future major repairs should be considered when locating the machine and adjacent equipment.

(2) Governors, motor generator sets, and other devices, shall have a clear work space and passageway at least 18 in. (457mm) wide and 78 in. (1.98 m) high on at least one side, and no passageway shall exist between various devices, or devices and the walls, less than 18 inches wide.

The commutator end of motor generator sets shall be exposed to allow safe access for servicing and adjusting.

(3) The clear work space in front of and in back of control panels and the passage space at the ends of control panels shall conform to CCR, Title 24, Part 3, Article 620.

(4) The clear work space in front of, and the accessibility of the power disconnect switches, shall conform to the requirements of CCR, Title 24, Part 3, Article 620.

(h) Identification Required. Where there is more than one elevator, each elevator shall be assigned a different number. This number shall be used to clearly identify all major components of that piece of equipment in the machine room and machinery spaces.

(Title 24, Part 7, Section 7-3011.)

NOTE

Authority cited: Section 142.3, Labor Code. Reference: Section 142.3, Labor Code; and Section 18943(b), Health and Safety Code.

HISTORY

1. Amendment of subsections (b)(3), (b)(4), (c)(2)(D) and (c)(2)(E) filed 6-23-77; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 77, No. 26).

2. Amendment filed 6-23-87; operative 6-23-87 (Register 87, No. 27).

3. Amendment of subsections (f)(1), (g), and (g)(3)-(4) filed 6-29-94; operative 7-29-94 (Register 94, No. 26).

4. Editorial correction of subsections (f)(2) and (g)(2) (Register 95, No. 26).

5. New subsection (d)(1)(D) and amendment of Note filed 5-8-2002; operative 6-7-2002 (Register 2002, No. 19).