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Subchapter 6. Elevator Safety Orders
Article 7. Hoistways, Hoistway Enclosures, and Related Construction for Power Cable-Driven Passenger and Freight Elevators
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§3021. Hoistway Door and Gate-Locking Devices.


(a) Required on Passenger Elevator Hoistway Doors. All passenger elevator hoistway doors shall be equipped with approved hoistway-unit-system hoistway door interlocks.

EXCEPTIONS TO SUBSECTION 3021(a):

EXCEPTIONS:

1. Existing manually operated hoistway doors of elevators having a rated speed of not more than 150 fpm (0.76 m/s) and a rise of not more than 20 ft (6.10 m) which are provided with interlocks and zone switches as described for doors in section 3021(d)(1)(D).

2. Manually operated doors at the lowest landing, or at the ground floor of elevators with only one floor below the ground floor, provided that no other entrances are in line on floors above or below and the doors are equipped with interlocks and zone switches as described for doors in section 3021(d)(1)(D).

3. Existing basement doors provided with interlocks and zone switches as described for doors in section 3021(d)(1)(D).

(b) Required on Freight Elevator Hoistway Doors. All freight elevator hoistway doors shall be equipped with approved hoistway-unit-system hoistway door interlocks.

EXCEPTIONS TO SUBSECTION 3021(b):

1. Manually operated hoistway doors for freight elevators having a rated speed of not more than 150 fpm (0.76 m/s) and a rise of not more than 20 ft (6.10 m) which are provided with interlocks and zone switches as described for doors in section 3021(d)(1)(D).

2. Manually operated doors at the lowest landing, or at the ground floor of elevators with only one floor below the ground floor, provided that no other entrances are in line above or below and the doors are equipped with interlocks and zone switches as described for doors in section 3021(d)(1)(D).

3. Existing installations, completed before June 5, 1947, of interlocks or contact locks which approximately fulfill the functions required for approved interlocks or contact locks.

(c) Required on Freight Elevator Hoistway Gates.

(1) All existing freight elevator hoistway gates shall be equipped with either approved hoistway-unit-system interlocks or with approved combination mechanical locks and electric contacts (contact locks).

(2) All new freight elevator hoistway gates shall be equipped with approved hoistway-unit-system interlocks.

EXCEPTIONS TO SUBSECTION 3021(c)(2):

1. Manually operated hoistway gates for freight elevators having a rated speed of not more than 150 fpm (0.76 m/s) and a rise of not more than 20 ft (6.10 m) which are provided with interlocks and zone switches as described for doors in section 3021(d)(1)(D).

2. Manually operated gates at the lowest landing, or at the ground floor of elevators with only one floor below the ground floor, provided that no other entrances are in line above or below and the gates are equipped with interlocks and zone switches as described for doors in section 3021(d)(1)(D).

3. Existing installations, completed before June 5, 1947 of interlocks or contact locks which approximately fulfill the functions required for approved interlocks or contact locks.

(d) Hoistway Door Interlocks and Operating Cams.

(1) Operation of the driving machine when a hoistway door is unlocked is permissible only under the following conditions:

(A) By a car-leveling or truck-zoning device.

(B) By a combination hoistway access switch and operating device on constant-pressure or car-switch type elevators.

(C) When a hoistway access switch is operated.

(D) Those manually operated doors specified in Exceptions No. 1 and No. 2, section 3021(a), and in Exceptions No. 1 and No. 2, section 3021(b), may be equipped with interlocks that are unlocked by a stationary cam on the car, provided the circuits are so arranged that the power will be cut off the machine and the brake applied, if the door is not closed or if the car travels more than one foot away from the floor before the door is locked.

(E) When the elevator is equipped with an advance start or pulse start feature that allows the building up of the starting motor torque while the doors are in the last phase of the closing operation and may result in the car moving a short distance away from the floor if the closing of the doors is interrupted. This feature will be allowed only after written approval has been granted by the division.

(F) Existing elevators equipped with emergency release buttons permitted by the exception to section 3021(i).

(G) Elevators which can be started from the car only may be provided with an auxiliary lock at the lowest landing used in connection with the unlocking means for the lowest landing door so arranged that the car can leave the landing with the auxiliary lock in the unlocked position provided the circuits are so arranged that the power will be cut off and the brake applied should the car travel more than one foot away from the landing before the auxiliary lock locks.

(2) Interlocks shall conform to the following requirements:

(A) Interlock contacts shall be positively opened by the locking member or by a member connected to and mechanically operated by the locking member, and the contacts shall be maintained in the open position by the action of gravity or by means of the opening member.

(B) The interlock shall hold the door in the locked position by means of gravity or by a restrained compression spring on a rod or in a tube, or by both, or by means of the opening member.

(C) The interlock shall lock the door in the closed position before the driving machine can be operated by the normal operating device.

Devices which permit operation of the driving machine by the normal operating device before the door is closed, or when the door is closed but before it is locked, are not interlocks and are not permitted where interlocks are required by these regulations.

EXCEPTION TO SUBSECTION 3021(d)(2)(C):

As provided in section 3021(d)(1).

(D) Elevator hoistway doors or gates shall not be arranged to be unlocked from outside the hoistway except where the unlocking means is of a type which cannot function unless the elevator car is at or within 30 in. (762 mm) of the landing.

EXCEPTION TO SUBSECTION 3021(d)(2)(D):

Doors or gates at the lowest landing that are equipped with auxiliary locks zoned so the power will be cut off the machine and the brake applied if the door is not closed or if the car travels more than one ft (305 mm) away from the floor, before the door is locked.

(E) Interlocks used with multi-section doors shall conform to the following requirements:

1. They shall lock all sections of the door, but may be applied to only one section of the door, provided the device to interconnect the door sections is so arranged that the locking of one section insures that all sections are closed and cannot be opened.

EXCEPTIONS TO SUBSECTION 3021(d)(2)(E):

1. Existing swing sections with auxiliary contacts on the section held closed by an overlapping astragal on the door equipped with an interlock.

2. Vertically sliding bi-parting doors installed before June 5, 1947.

2. Where used with vertically sliding biparting counterbalanced doors, they shall be so arranged that the interlock contacts are mechanically held in the open position by the door or devices attached thereto unless the door is in the closed position.

3. Where used with center-opening horizontally swinging doors, both door sections shall be equipped with interlocks.

4. Where a door-closer, used with a combination sliding and swinging door, is arranged to be disconnected to allow the sliding panel to swing, it shall be so designed and installed that it shall not make the interlock contact when disconnected and released.

(F) Interlock systems employing a single master switch for more than one door are prohibited.

(3) Retiring cams used to actuate an interlock shall exert a force at least double the average force required to operate the interlock and shall have a movement at least 1/2 in. (13 mm) more than the average movement required to operate the interlock. An interlock retiring cam shall be permanently marked by the manufacturer with:

(A) Its rated horizontal force.

(B) Its rated horizontal movement.

(4) The vertical face of any retiring cam, used for operating an interlock shall not exceed 18 in. (457 mm) in length unless the elevator is arranged to level automatically and is equipped with power-opened landing doors.

EXCEPTIONS TO SUBSECTION 3021(d)(4):

1. Elevators equipped with a truck-loading device.

2. Cams installed on elevators before June 5, 1947.

(5) Interlocks shall be so located that they are not accessible from the landing side when the hoistway doors are closed.

(e) Hoistway Gate Combination Mechanical Locks and Electric Contacts (Contact Locks).

(1) Hoistway gate combination mechanical locks and electric contacts are permitted for hoistway gates of existing freight elevators only.

(2) Operation of the driving machine when a hoistway gate is not in the closed position is not permissible.

EXCEPTION TO SUBSECTION 3021(e)(2):

By a car-leveling or truck-zoning device.

(3) Contact locks shall conform to the following requirements.

(A) Contact locks, except existing locks installed before 1947, shall be so designed and installed that the locking member and the electric contact are in a single unit. They shall be so installed and adjusted that the electric contact cannot close until the gate is in the closed position and so that the locking member is in a position to lock the gate when or before the contact closes.

(B) The electric contact shall be positively opened by the locking bar of the mechanical lock, or by a lever or other device attached to and operated by the gate, and the contact shall be maintained in the open position by means other than depending solely on the operation of a spring or springs.

(C) The function of a contact lock to hold a gate in the locked position shall not depend solely on a spring or springs, except that a coil (helical) spring in compression may be used if retained on a rod or in a tube to prevent separation in case of failure.

(D) Contact locks used with multisection gates shall conform to the following requirement.

1. They shall lock all sections of the gate, but may be applied to only one section provided the device used to interconnect the gate sections is so arranged that the locking of one section insures that all sections are closed and cannot be opened.

(4) The vertical face of any cam used for operating a contact lock shall not exceed 18 in. (457 mm) in length.

EXCEPTION TO SUBSECTION 3021(e)(4):

Elevators equipped with a truck-loading device.

(f) Tests and Approvals.

(1) Each type and make of hoistway door interlock and hoistway gate combination lock and electric contact (contact lock) shall be approved by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health. See Design section 3110.

(2) Approved devices shall be marked for identification. The marking shall be permanent and shall include the following:

(A) Manufacturer's name or trademark.

(B) Type of style letter or number.

(C) Rated Voltage.

(D) Rated test force and test movement on installations requiring a retiring cam.

(g) Closed Position of Hoistway Doors. Hoistway doors shall be considered to be in the closed position under the following conditions:

(1) For horizontally sliding or swinging doors, when the leading edge of the door is within 3/8 in. (9.5 mm) of the nearest jamb or when the panels of horizontally sliding center-opening doors are within 3/8 in. (9.5 mm) of contact with each other.

EXCEPTION TO SUBSECTION 3021(g)(1):

The doors shall be considered to be in the closed position at 4 in. (102 mm) from the jamb on existing elevators provided:

1. The elevator can be started from the car only.

2. The doors are provided with closers to fully close and lock the door after the car has started.

3. The doors cannot be reopened from the landing side within the 4 in. (102 mm) zone.

4. If such elevators can be converted to collective operation for night service, the closed position shall be not more than 2 in. (51 mm) when on the automatic operation.

(2) For vertically sliding biparting counterbalanced doors, when the closing doors are not more than 3/4 in. (19 mm) from their stopped position. See section 3020(b)(6)(C).

EXCEPTION TO SUBSECTION 3021(g)(2):

This distance may be increased to 1 1/4 in. (31 mm) when new safety astragals are installed to replace existing solid astragals.

(h) Closed Position of Hoistway Gates. Hoistway gates shall be considered to be in the closed position under the following conditions.

(1) For vertically sliding, counterbalanced gates, when the space between the bottom of the gate and the sill is not more than 2 in. (51 mm).

(2) For horizontally sliding or swinging gates, when the space between the edge of the gate and the nearest face of the strike jamb does not exceed 2 in. (51 mm).

(i) Interlock By-Pass Switch (Emergency Release). No emergency release switch shall be provided in or on any elevator to render the hoistway door interlocking circuit or the car door or gate contact circuit inoperative.

EXCEPTION TO SUBSECTION 3021(i):

Existing elevators which can be started from the car only that are provided with a constant pressure key switch or a constant pressure button requiring a pressure of at least 10 lbf (44.5 N) to operate. This device shall be located above the normal operating device not less than 6 ft (1.83 m) above the car floor.

(j) Elevator Parking Device. An elevator parking device shall be provided on car switch elevators at one landing, and may be provided at other landings, except on elevators having hoistway doors which are automatically unlocked when the car is within the landing zone.

Parking devices shall conform to the following requirements:

(1) They shall be mechanically or electrically operated.

(2) They shall be so designed and installed that friction or the breaking of any spring used in the device will not permit opening or unlocking a door when the car is outside the landing zone of that floor.

(3) Springs, where used, shall be of the restrained compression type which will prevent separation of parts in case the spring breaks.

(k) Hoistway Access Switches.

(1) Elevators equipped with power-operated hoistway doors or elevators equipped with manually operated vertical biparting doors shall be provided with access switches at one upper landing to permit access to the top of the car, and at the lowest landing to permit access to the pit if this landing is the normal point of access to the pit.

EXCEPTION TO SUBSECTION 3021(k)(1):

Access to the top of elevators with a travel 15 ft (4.57 m) or less.

(A) Observation elevators with manually operated hoistway doors shall be provided with access switches at one upper landing to permit access to the top of the car.

(2) Hoistway access switches shall conform to the following:

(A) The switch shall be installed only at access landings.

(B) The switch shall be installed in the hoistway entrance frame or within 12 in. (305 mm) of the entrance frame of the elevator with which it is identified, and not less than 3 ft (914 mm) nor more than 78 in. (1.98 m) above floor level.

(C) The switch shall be of the continuous-pressure, spring return type, and shall be operated by a cylinder type lock having not less than a 5-pin or 5-disc combination with the key removable only when the switch is in the off position. The lock shall not be operable by any key which will operate locks or devices used for other purposes in the building except where locks are provided in the car top emergency exit covers the key may also unlock the exit cover. The key shall be available to and used only by elevator inspectors, maintenance men, and repairmen.

(3) The operation of the switch at either access landing shall permit, and may initiate and maintain, movement of the car with the hoistway door at this landing unlocked or not in the closed position; and with the car door or gate not in the closed position, subject to the following:

(A) The operation of the switch shall not render ineffective the hoistway door interlock at any other landing.

(B) The car cannot be operated at a speed greater than 150 fpm (0.76 m/s).

(C) For automatic and continuous pressure operation elevators, provided:

1. Landing operating devices of continuous pressure operation elevators, and car and landing operating devices of automatic operation elevators, shall first be made inoperative by means other than the access switch. This means shall be located in the car and shall be key operated or located behind a locked cover.

2. Power operation of the hoistway door and the car door or gate is inoperative.

(D) Automatic operation by a car-leveling device is inoperative.

(E) The top-of-car operating device is inoperative.

(F) The movement of the car initiated and maintained by the top access switch shall be limited in the down direction to a travel not greater than the height of the car crosshead above the car platform, and limited in the up direction above the access landing to the distance the car apron extends below the car platform.

(4) Where electrically operated switches, relays, or contractors are used to render inoperative the hoistway door interlock or the car door or gate contact, the control circuits shall be arranged to conform to the requirements of section 3040(f)(3); and, in addition, to render the normal car and hall operation ineffective if any such switch, relay, or contractor fails to function in its intended manner.

(l) Passenger elevators installed after January 1, 1989 shall have the hoistway and/or car doors arranged as follows:

(1) When a car is outside the unlocking zone, the hoistway doors or car doors shall be so arranged that the hoistway doors or car doors cannot be opened more than 4 in. (102 mm) from inside the car.

(2) When the car doors are so arranged that they cannot be opened when the car is outside the unlocking zone, the car doors shall be openable from outside the car without the use of special tools.

(3) The unlocking zone shall extend from the landing floor level to a point no greater than 18 in. (457 mm) above or below the landing floor level.

(4) The arrangement required by subsection 3021(l)(1) shall not restrict the opening to the extent that the floor numbers required by subsection 3041(c)(5) cannot be located and observed.

(5) The arrangement required by subsection 3021(l)(2) shall not constitute a violation of subsection 3022(c)(5) if the doors can be opened sufficiently to determine the numbers required by subsection 3041(c)(5).

Title 24, part 7, section 7-3021

NOTE: Authority cited: Section 142.3, Labor Code. Reference: Section 142.3, Labor Code; and Section 18943, Health and Safety Code.

HISTORY

1. Amendment of subsection (k)(1) filed 10-25-74; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 74, No. 43).

2. Amendment of subsections (a), (d)(2)(D), (d)(2)(E), (J), (k)(4) and new Exceptions of subsection (c) filed 6-23-77; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 77, No. 26).

3. Repealer and new subsection (k)(2) filed 12-22-78; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 79, No. 1).

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

5. Change without regulatory effect filed 6/21/90 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 90, No. 35).

6. Editorial correction of printing error in subsection (l) (Register 91, No. 32).

7. Amendment of subsection (k)(1) and Reference citation added; filed 7-1- 91; operative 7-31-91 (Register 91, No. 43).

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