The list of regulations elevator companies must comply with continues to grow. In 2011, a woman lost her life when an elevator left the landing with its doors open as she attempted to board. As a result, door-lock monitors will have to be installed on approximately 40,000 elevators in NYC and the deadline, January 2020, is quickly approaching.
A door-lock monitor is an electronic device that prevents an elevator from moving if the doors are not closed properly. All passenger and freight elevators must comply by January 1, 2020, per ASME A17.3 as modified by NYC Building Code appendix K3, Rule 3.10.12. The rule states that means shall be provided to monitor the hall doors and car door/gate for faulty contact circuits, and, if a faulty circuit is detected, the elevator shall be prevented from operating and removed from service. The deadline for compliance leaves less than two years to apply this safety device to the elevators. Ultimately, given the short time frame remaining, both consulting firms and elevator companies have an obligation to advise their clients as to the rule and its implications for non-compliance.
Elevators installed since the 2009 building code most likely have this type of system in place. It already might be in the elevator control system but just not activated, or it may just need some software or type of hardware. Elevators – generally older ones – without such a door-monitoring system will be more expensive, since new equipment must be integrated with the existing elevator control system.
Besides installing the Door Lock Monitor, there are a few other DOB requirements. Even if the component is already in place, the elevator servicing company has to file a permit. Then they have to get a set of electrical prints showing the DOB that it exists electrically within the control-board circuit and have it stamped by a professional engineer. Finally, the DOB must come out and test the elevator.
It is a time consuming process that shouldn’t be left to the last minute. It can take up to 6 weeks just to obtain the necessary city permits to proceed. After January 1, 2020, non-compliant systems will be subject to violations, clearly a situation to avoid. The question is, how will the change be accomplished on the thousands of existing elevator systems before the deadline? The good news is that there are solutions to help manage the process and ensure that all your elevators are compliant by the deadline.
FIELDBOSS Lift is an end-to-end elevator contractor management solution that can be configured to:
- Easily monitor which elevators require the door lock monitor device, which have already been installed and which have yet to be installed
- Create drop down lists under each elevator to keep track of Door Lock Monitor device status
- Create quotes in seconds and send to those customers in need of a Door Lock Monitor device
- Create easy to read dashboard views of Active Door Lock Monitor quotes, Active Sites for Door Lock Monitor Installations, and Building Locations without Door Lock Monitors so you can easily stay on-top of what’s going on and keep your customers devices compliant.
Contact FIELDBOSS for more information about how to manage your Door Lock Monitoring device installations.
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