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Is an elevator shaft a “machine room” when elevator has a cab-mounted motor?

Y

Yikes

SAWHORSE
Joined
Nov 2, 2009
Messages
3,948
Location
Southern California
I have an elevator being inserted into an existing 2 story Type III-B building in City of Los Angeles. The elevator shaft is one hour rated but it’s roof is currently non rated.
The elevator has a cab-mounted motor. The elevator controls are in a separate room adjacent to the shaft, which I am calling the machine room. It it separated from the shaft by one hour construction.

The inspector is saying the top of the shaft needs to be one hour rated. He is quoting ASME A17.1-2004 SECTION 2.7 MACHINE ROOMS AND MACHINERY SPACES.
2.7.1.1.1 Spaces containing machines, control equipment, sheaves, and other machinery shall be separated from the remainder of the building by a fire resistive enclosure conforming to the requirements of the building code.

So, does a cab-mounted motor make the shaft a machine room / machinery space?

If the answer is “yes”, then I am also saying the the top of the shaft/machine room, which is a roof that is open to the sky, does not need to be rated because it has no building above the roof, i.e. there is no “remainder of the building” to separate it from. Am I correct?
 
Yikes said:
If the answer is “yes”, then I am also saying the the top of the shaft/machine room, which is a roof that is open to the sky, does not need to be rated because it has no building above the roof, i.e. there is no “remainder of the building” to separate it from. Am I correct?
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As I read the code I had the same thought however, LA City has probably been down this road multiple time and there might be a contrary determination.
 
Last edited:
ICE said:
As I read the code I had the same thought however, LA City has probably been down this road multiple time and there might be a contrary determination.
Click to expand...

LA City has their own elevator inspection unit, separate from the state elevator unit (Dept. of Industrial Relations) in Monrovia.
So even if I got the state elevator inspector to agree with me, their opinion could not be enforced in city of LA.
 
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Ask the Elevator Inspector to please provide the "Bldg. Code Section(s)"
to which he is referring to.

Do you want to get a ruling from the City of LA Bldg. Dept. ?

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