260 R.I. Code R. 260-RICR-30-10-1.7

Current through December 3, 2024

Section 260-RICR-30-10-1.7 - Existing Installations

A. General Provisions

1. The edition of the American National Standard Safety Code for Elevators and Dumbwaiters ASME A17.3 incorporated by reference in § 1.3 of this Part, which also includes escalators and moving walks, shall govern the installation, modernization, inspection and testing of existing elevators and other devices with any exceptions as stated herein.

2. Whenever this code conflicts with the State Building Code, regarding the materials to be used for construction purposes and/or the type of construction to be employed, the requirements of Rhode Island General Laws shall prevail.

3. All electric wiring and apparatus shall comply with the requirements of the National Electrical Code adopted by the Rhode Island Building Code Commission at the time of installation.

B. Inspections

1. Permit to Act as Authorized Inspector

a. An authorized inspector permit is required under the provisions of R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-33-5, for any person to make inspection of any existing elevator subject to the provisions of R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 23-33 and/or this code;

b. An authorized inspector permit shall be renewed annually:

(1) Renewal of an authorized inspector permit shall consist of submission of a renewal application, accepted and approved by the chief inspector, and payment of a renewal fee

(2) The chief inspector may at any time revoke any permit issued by him or her to act as an authorized inspector. In cases of a revocation the division of occupational safety administrator shall order a hearing to be conducted within 30 days. Notice of the hearing, given at least five (5) days in advance, shall include a specified time and place, a statement of the facts resulting from investigation, and shall be served by mail to the authorized inspector. The hearing shall be conducted by the Review Board and shall allow the authorized inspector an opportunity to be heard on the matters contained within the notice.

c. An authorized inspector, holding a qualified mechanic's license pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-33-2.3, shall not make any repairs as a result of an annual inspection which such authorized inspector performed, except that such an authorized inspector may make a minor repair, as defined herein, on the same day as any inspection;

2. Periodic Inspections

a. The chief inspector, any compliance inspector or any authorized inspector shall make the required inspection of each elevator or other device at least once per year, except that each elevator or other device subject to a full maintenance contract with a qualified service company shall be inspected at least once every two (2) years subject to R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 23-33;

b. The chief inspector, compliance inspector or authorized inspector shall complete the elevator checklist form, approved by the chief inspector, for all existing elevators during the required inspection;

c. Following inspection, the chief inspector, compliance inspector or authorized inspector shall, within ten business (10) days of inspection, submit the completed elevator checklist form to the division of occupational safety administrator and, if the elevator is adjudged to conform in all respects with this code, the division of occupational safety administrator, upon payment of the appropriate fee, shall issue to the elevator owner a certificate of operation;

d. A certificate of operation shall state the inspection date, which shall be renewable annually, but shall be valid until revoked;

e. An owner shall ensure that the required inspections are performed and that the completed elevator checklist form is submitted to the division of occupational safety administrator. The owner shall schedule the required inspections at least sixty (60) days prior to the expiration of the current certificate of operation;

3. Imminent Harm Violations

a. If as a result of inspection, the chief inspector determines that any elevator or device is in such a condition as to be unsafe and that the danger is imminent, the chief inspector shall order the operation of that elevator to be stopped immediately, the certificate revoked and shall physically render the unit inoperable;

b. The owner shall be notified by certified mail that he or she has fifteen (15) business days from the receipt of the order to notify the division of occupational safety administrator that he or she intends to contest the order to cease operation. The order shall remain in effect pending hearing before the review board;

c. In cases where the chief inspector revokes a certificate of operation, use of the elevator shall be stopped until the elevator or the defective part or parts shall be repaired or renewed and put in safe condition, and a new certificate issued by the administrator of occupational safety;

d. In the event that the owner fails, within 15 business days of the receipt of the order, to contest the order to cease operation, the order shall be deemed a final order of the review board and not subject to any review as to any question of fact by any court or agency;

e. After the issuance of an order to cease operation, the chief inspector may issue a Notice of Proposed Penalty, notifying the owner of the penalty proposed to be assessed under R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-33-20 and that the owner has fifteen (15) business days within which to either pay the penalty or notify the administrator of the division of occupational safety that he or she wishes to contest the proposed assessment of penalty;

f. Any appeal to the review board shall not stay an order to cease operation but the review board may vacate any such order.

4. Non-Imminent Harm Violations

a. In the event that the elevator checklist form indicates a violation of this regulation, which imposes no immediate danger; a required inspection has not been performed; the completed elevator checklist form has not been submitted to the division of occupational safety administrator; the owner fails to schedule the required inspections at least sixty (60) days prior to the expiration of the current certificate of operation, the chief inspector or compliance inspector shall issue a Notice of Violation, notifying the owner and requiring the owner, within thirty (30) business days after the receipt of the notice, to abate said violations and it shall be the duty of the owner to comply with that requirement;

b. Upon abatement of the violation, notice shall be provided to the chief inspector that the required repairs, inspections or appointments have been completed, and the chief inspector shall issue a certificate of operation upon payment of the appropriate fee;

c. The elevator may, at the discretion of the chief inspector, be re-inspected by a compliance inspector or the chief inspector prior to the issuance of a certificate of operation;

d. Following the issuance of a Notice of Violation and the owner's failure to abate the violations during the period provided, the chief inspector or compliance inspector shall issue a Compliance Order, notifying the owner to abate the violations within such reasonable time as he or she may prescribe, and if the violations are not remedied within the prescribed time, the use of the elevator shall be discontinued and the certificate revoked until the elevator is put in a safe condition and a new certificate is issued;

e. If within fifteen (15) business days from the receipt of the Compliance Order issued by the chief inspector or compliance inspector, the owner fails to notify the administrator of the division of occupational safety that he or she intends to contest the proposed Compliance Order, the Compliance Order shall be deemed a final order of the review board and not subject to review as to any question of fact by any court or agency;

f. After the issuance of a Compliance Order and abatement of the violation(s) by the owner, the chief inspector may issue a Notice of Proposed Penalty, notifying the owner of the penalty proposed to be assessed under R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-33-20. and that the owner has fifteen (15) business days within which to either pay the penalty or notify the administrator of the division of occupational safety that he or she wishes to contest the proposed assessment of penalty;

g. If within fifteen (15) business days from the receipt of the Notice of Proposed Penalty issued by the administrator of the division of occupational safety, the owner fails to notify the administrator of the division of occupational safety that he or she intends to contest the proposed assessment of penalty, the proposed assessment of penalty shall be deemed a final order of the review board and not subject to review as to any question of fact by any court or agency.

5. Appeals

a. If an owner notifies the administrator of the division of occupational safety that he or she intends to contest any notice and/or order, including but not limited to, order to cease operation, notice of violation, compliance order, and/or notice of proposed penalty, except as where provided by R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 23-33 and/or this code, the administrator of the division of occupational safety shall immediately notify review board of such appeal and convene a meeting of the review board as soon as practicable thereafter;

b. The owner shall be notified of the review board hearing and the review board shall provide the affected owner an opportunity to participate in the hearing;

c. Appeals from the review board may be made pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 42-35.

6. Exceptions

a. Demolition or removal of any device subject to the provisions of R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 23-33 shall be performed only by individuals licensed by the Division of Occupational Safety pursuant to R.I. Gen Laws § 23-33-2.3, except where a building is being destroyed in its entirety.

b. A standardized key switch for the activation of fire service shall be required. This key shall be an ADAMS PART NUMBER AKC-0054A [KEY CODE WD01].

c. The key required to activate fire service shall be accessible to fire department personnel, qualified mechanics and compliance inspectors only.

C. Hydraulic Machines

1. Every hydraulic elevator pump unit shall be provided with an appropriate sized valved connection equipped with an AEROQUIP 5602-4-4 S male connector for attaching an inspector's test gauge.

3. Every hydraulic elevator shall be subject to a static load test every three (3) years. As part of this test, the working pressure of the pump unit shall be tested and recorded as well as the relief valve setting. A metal plate shall be attached to the hydraulic tank of all such elevators indicating (1) the working pressure, (2) the relief valve setting, (3) the amount and type of fluid used in the hydraulic system.

4. All hydraulic elevators equipped with an APOLLO BALL VALVE (Part number 70-108-01) located in the oil supply pipe shall have this valve replaced with an equivalent valve of a different manufacturer.

D. Penthouses and Machine Rooms

1. Elevator disconnect switches, of the approved heavy duty type, lockable, manually operated, and of the multiple pole type, shall be located on the lock jamb side of the entrance to the machine room and shall be accessible from the machine location on all elevators.

E. Hoistways - Car

1. All hoistways shall be of at least two (2) hour fire resistant rated construction.

2. Non-fire resistant materials shall not be installed within any hoistway.

F. Terminal Limit Switches and Stopping Devices. Top and bottom final terminal limit switches or stopping devices shall be provided on traction and winding drum elevators in addition to the normal terminal limits or stopping devices and shall:

1. be arranged to automatically prevent all movement of the car by the operating devices and

2. to stop the car independent of the normal terminal limit switches or stopping devices, and, further, shall, when traveling at any speed attained during normal operations, bring the car to rest within the over travels but the buffers may be compressed.

G. Hoistway Doors - Cars Equipped with Inching Devices

1. Hoistway doors for power elevators, with a contract speed not in excess of one hundred (100) fpm, may have the interlock service arranged to permit the car to be operated away from the landing a distance of not over ten (10) inches before the locking operation takes place, provided the following requirements are met:

a. If the locking operation fails to take place as specified, further movement of the car will open the operating circuit.

b. The car cannot be started by the operating devices until the hoistway door is closed.

c. The car platform is equipped with a substantial vertical face flush with its outer edge and extending at least fifteen (15) inches below the car platform.

H. Power Elevator Car Tops

1. A standard railing conforming to ASME A17.1 Section 2.10.2 (incorporated above) shall be provided on the outside perimeter of the car top on all sides where the perpendicular distance between the edges of the car top and the adjacent hoistway enclosure exceeds 300 mm (12 in) horizontal clearance.

2. The focus specified in ASME A17.1 Section 2.10.2.4 shall not deflect the railing beyond the perimeter of the car top.

3. The top-of-car enclosure, or other surface specified by the elevator installer, shall be the working surface referred to in ASME A17.1 Section 2.10.2.

I. Car and Counterweight Safeties and Speed Governors

1. Every car safety and its speed governor devices shall be tested in the presence of a State Elevator Inspector or an authorized inspector at least once every twelve (12) months that the elevator is in service.

2. Where governor mechanisms are replaced, they shall be tested and calibrated by an authorized inspector.

260 R.I. Code R. 260-RICR-30-10-1.7

Adopted effective 1/6/2019