Section 12-G606. ELEVATORS AND CONVEYING SYSTEMS

 

Strike Section 606 of the International Property Maintenance Code in its entirety and insert new Section 606 in the Property Maintenance Code in its place to read as follows:

 

606.1 General.  No elevator or conveying system, including, but not limited to, escalators, dumbwaiters, wheelchair lifts, cartveyors, manlifts and moving walks, shall be operated without a valid certificate of inspection issued by the code official. 

 

Exceptions:

 

1. Where the code official authorizes limited approval of use in accordance with the provisions of Section 606.2, or Section 3010.2 of the Building Code.

 

2. Elevators and conveying systems covered by the Residential Code where the equipment is serving one dwelling unit.

 

3. In Groups R-2 and R-3 occupancies where the equipment is serving one dwelling unit.

 

606.2 Content of certificate of inspection; posting.  The certificate of inspection shall contain the following information: 

 

1. The address of the structure;

 

2. The name and address of the owner;

 

3. A description of the vertical transportation equipment (e.g., escalator, elevator, dumbwaiter, wheelchair lift, moving walk or conveyor);

 

4. The rated load and speed;

 

5. A statement that the described equipment has been inspected for compliance with the requirements of the Construction Codes;

 

6. The name of the code official; and

 

7. Any special stipulations and conditions of the permit under which the equipment was installed, relocated or altered.

 

606.2.1 Posting of certificate.  A copy of the most current certificate of inspection shall be conspicuously displayed at all times within the elevator car or attached to the conveying system unless display of certificates is exempted pursuant to Section 606.4.  If the building operator maintains an office in the same building, the certificate of inspection may be made available for public inspection in the office instead of being on display within the elevator.

 

606.3 Maintenance, testing, inspections. Periodic tests and inspections shall be made by the code official, or by an approved Third Party Inspection Agency, and shall be made at the expense and responsibility of the owner. Except as otherwise provided for in this code, the maintenance, inspection and testing of all elevators and conveying systems and their components, including the frequency of inspections and testing, shall conform with Sections 606.3.1 through 606.3.4.

 

606.3.1 Elevators, escalators and other conveyances listed in ASME A17.1, Appendix N.  Inspection and tests shall be performed at not less than the periodic intervals listed in ASME A17.1, Appendix N, except where otherwise specified by the code official.

 

Exception:  Units in residential use serving one family dwelling unit.

 

606.3.2 Platform lifts and stairway chair lifts.  Inspections and testing of platform lifts and stairway chair lifts shall be performed for all units as stated in ASME A18.1, Safety Standard for Platform Lifts and Stairway Chairlifts.

 

Exception:  Units in residential use serving one family dwelling unit.

 

606.3.3 Manlifts.  Inspections and testing of manlifts shall be performed for all units as stated in ASME A90.1, Safety Standard for Manlifts.

 

606.3.4 Conveyors and related equipment.  Inspections and testing of conveyors and related equipment shall be performed as stated in ASME B20.1, Safety Standard for Conveyors and Related Equipment.

 

606.3.4.1 Cartveyors.  Cartveyors shall be maintained as per original equipment manufacturer’s recommendations.  Inspection and testing shall be at the same frequency as escalators as stated in ASME A17.1, Appendix N.

 

606.4 Reports and certificates.  Where inspections and tests are not made by the code official, the approved agency shall submit a report of the inspections and tests to the code official on approved forms not more than 30 days after completion of the inspection and tests.  Upon receipt of satisfactory inspection and test reports, the code official shall authorize the issuance of a certificate of inspection, or a renewal certificate as provided in Section 3010.9, for each unit of equipment. 

 

Exceptions:  The submission of test reports to the code official and the issuance of certificates and display of certificates is not required:

 

1.In Group R-2 and R-3 occupancies where the equipment is serving one dwelling unit.

2. In buildings under the jurisdiction of the Residential Code where the equipment is serving one dwelling unit.

 

606.5 Out of service; temporarily dormant. A permit from the Department shall be required: (a) to take an elevator or conveying system out of service pursuant to ASME A17.1, Section 8.11.1.4; or (b) to place an elevator or conveying system in temporarily dormant status as set forth in Section 606.5.1.

 

606.5.1 Temporarily dormant. An elevator or conveying system shall be temporarily dormant where removed from its normal class of service for an extended period of time (not to exceed five years) by an owner’s decision and not due to maintenance or repair.  During this period of time, the equipment shall be secured for the benefit of public safety in accordance with the following requirements:

 

1. The power supply shall be disconnected by removing fuses and placing a padlock on the mainline disconnect switch in the “OFF” position. This padlock shall not be removed without permission from the code official.

 

2. The unit shall be parked and the hoistway/runway doors securely bolted from opening in any plane. The means of securing the doors shall be exclusive of the interlocks.

 

3. A wire seal shall be installed on the mainline disconnect switch by an elevator inspector accredited by a national certifying agency and approved by the code official which wire seal shall not be removed without permission from the code official.

 

4. The equipment shall not be used again until it has been put in safe running order and passed an acceptance test, congruent with the installation date or the Code Data Tag posted on the equipment, as provided in ASME 17.1, Section 8.10, and the owner has obtained a valid certificate of inspection from the code official.

 

5. Annual inspections shall continue for the duration of the period that the elevator is temporarily dormant, and the inspector shall file an annual report with the code official to confirm that the requirements set forth in this section are met.

 

606.6 Equipment in operation.  In buildings equipped with passenger elevators, at least one elevator shall be maintained in operation at all times when the building is occupied.

 

Exception:  Buildings equipped with only one elevator or conveying system shall be permitted to have the elevator or conveying system temporarily out of service for testing, maintenance and/or repair.

 

606.7 Renewal of certificates.  The certificate of inspection, for each elevator and conveying system, must be renewed every 24 months, or at an alternate interval specified by the code official, as long as the unit is in service.  Renewal of the certificate of inspection will be granted upon satisfactory demonstration to the code official that the unit of equipment has met all of the inspections and testing required by the Construction Codes and referenced standards.

 

606.8 Unsafe equipment.  When, in the opinion of the code official, an elevator or conveying system or its components are unsafe or unlawful, the code official is authorized and empowered to place the unit out of service, and to prohibit the operation of the equipment until the unsafe or unlawful condition is corrected pursuant to the procedures set forth in Section 108.  When, in the opinion of the code official, there is imminent danger due to an unsafe condition, the code official is authorized to place the equipment out of service and to take other emergency measures, without notice to the owner, pursuant to Section 109.  Whenever the code official places an elevator or conveying system out of service, a placard or notice bearing the words “Unsafe to Use” shall be posted on the equipment and the code official may also attach a lead seal to prevent the equipment from being operated.

 

606.8.1 Notification of code official by third party inspection agency.  When an approved Third Party Inspection Agency inspector observes or identifies unsafe, unlawful or imminently dangerous condition(s) causing an elevator to be removed from service, the inspector shall notify the code official immediately.  Where emergency measures are required, the Third Party Inspector is authorized to place on the unit adjudged to be unsafe or unlawful an “Unsafe to Use” placard; provided, that the code official is notified immediately of the Third Party Inspector’s action, pursuant to the notification procedures established by the code official.

 

606.8.2 Placard removal.  The code official shall remove the “Unsafe to Use” notice whenever the defect or defects upon which a closure action was based have been eliminated.  Any person who defaces or removes an “Unsafe to Use” notice or lead seal without the approval of the code official, or operates placarded equipment, shall be subject to the penalties provided by this code.  An approved Third Party Inspector is permitted to remove an “Unsafe to Use Notice” issued by that inspector, after abatement of the unsafe or unlawful condition and appropriate reinspection of the conveyance.

 

Exception:  Placarded equipment may be operated only as necessary to effectuate repairs.

 

606.8.3 Abatement methods.  The owner of the equipment deemed unsafe by the code official shall abate or cause to be abated or corrected such unsafe conditions either by repair, rehabilitation, replacement or other approved corrective action.

 

Insert new Section 606.9 in the Property Maintenance Code to read as follows:

606.9 Required Elevator Signage.  A permanent sign of durable material, with lettering no smaller than one quarter inch (6 mm) high shall be placed in all elevators cars, with the following wording:

 

ALL ACCIDENTS ON OR DAMAGE TO ELEVATORS ARE TO BE REPORTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS 202 442-4400; OR AFTER WORKING HOURS BY CALLING 311.

 

 

authority

Section 10 of the Construction Codes Approval and Amendments Act of 1986 (Act), effective March 21, 1987 (D.C. Law 6-216; D.C. Official Code § 6-1409 (2012 Repl.)) and Mayor’s Order 2009-22, dated February 25, 2009, as amended.

source

Final Rulemaking published at 61 DCR 3196 (March 28, 2014 – Part 2); as corrected by Errata Notice published at 61 DCR 5246 (May 23, 2014).

EditorNote

The District of Columbia Property Maintenance Code (2013), referred to as the “Property Maintenance Code,” consists of the 2012 edition of the International Property Maintenance Code, published by the International Code Council (ICC), as amended by the District of Columbia Property Maintenance Code Supplement (2013) (12 DCMR G). The International Property Maintenance Code is copyrighted by the ICC and therefore is not republished here. However, a copy of the text may be obtained at: http://publicecodes.cyberregs.com/icod/ipmc/2012/index.htm?bu=IC-P-2012-000006&bu2=IC-P-2012-000019.