SHUT DOWN the electrical power before working around the elevator. Secure the power source using a Lock Out Tag Out kit if available. Position an individual at the power source with communications to the rescue team anytime crews are working around the elevator.
Over 60 manufacturers of elevators & elevator doors worldwide. Elevators installed at different time periods conform to the codes in place at time of installation. Elevator door features and operations may vary.
Generally speaking, elevator doors regardless of manufacturer, are built with their components and locking devices in the same locations. Common location of components can allow fire service personnel to easily locate and then manipulate the locking devices to open doors. Preplanning of problem elevators and the examination of the other (working) elevator doors in a building WILL be beneficial.
An understanding of general door construction is extremely valuable Elevators have rescue options Elevator Doors They are involved in ALL elevator emergencies & rescues. Extremely important for Firefighters to understand how they open, close, lock and unlock. Less force is ALWAYS better. If you can t open the elevator lobby doors and access the hoistway, you won t be doing much rescue.
Before you can unlock and open elevator doors to successfully perform an elevator rescue, you have to know how they work.
Construction Heavy steel doors with fire rating. Door interlocks Prevent doors from opening to an open shaft. Electrical and mechanical locks Found on all lobby door(s) and car door(s). Electrical locks are de-energized when lock out/tag out is performed. Mechanical locks must still be manipulated with tools and unlocked. Electrical contacts located on all elevator car door(s). Contacts must be intact (doors closed) for elevator car to move.
Single Slide Door Single door opens right to left or left to right. Look at wall length on both sides of door to easily identify direction of opening. Door does not always open away from wall mounted control pad
Door does not always open away from threshold mounted floor number sign. If in doubt of opening direction, slide a picking tool between the door face and threshold. If you hit the door jamb door opens in the other direction. If your tool freely slides into the gap the door opens in that direction.
Two Speed Door Two door panels sliding on different planes. Two door panels open at different speeds. In-set door opens first at twice the speed of the out-set door.
When in-set door catches up to the out-set door they open the rest of the way at the same speed The two speed door pictured opens from right to left
Two Speed Center Opening Door The four door panels open from the center away from each other. In-set doors open first at twice the speed of the out-set doors. When in-set doors catch up to the outset doors they open the rest of the way at the same speed.
Center Opening Door Two door panels sliding on the same plane The two door panels open from the center away from each other The two door panels open at the same speed Most common type of elevator door installation
Found in your oldest buildings. Outer lobby door is conventional style, outward swinging. Outer lobby door has both electrical and mechanical locks, usually in an upper corner.
If necessary force outer door open using conventional irons techniques. Inner car door is a side sliding scissor gate.
Door Pick Up Rollers and Locking Arm Picture to the right shows the inside view of a two speed lobby door taken from on top of an elevator car.
Door Pick Up Rollers and Locking Arm Note the black pick up rollers (two black wheels). In this type of lobby door assembly, the pick up rollers are mounted to the inside of the in-set door. This will be one of your targets when attempting to pick the door (see videos).
Door Pick Up Rollers and Locking Arm Attached to the pick up rollers and then traveling vertically is the locking arm (a flat stock piece of metal painted blue in this picture). The locking arm goes up and is bolted to the lock head which then goes into the lock box.
Door Pick Up Rollers and Locking Arm Picture to the right shows the inside view of a center opening lobby door taken from on top of an elevator car.
Door Pick Up Rollers and Locking Arm Note the black Pick Up Rollers (two black wheels) located on the left side of the picture. Approximately 75% of the time the Rollers will be found mounted on the inside of the right hand side lobby door. The goal when picking or poling the lock is to move these wheels together.
Door Pick Up Rollers and Locking Arm Attached to the inside pick up roller and then traveling vertically is the locking arm (a flat stock piece of metal in this picture). The locking arm goes up and is bolted to the lock head. Moving the wheels together fulcrums the locking arm up, releasing the lock.
In the picture to the right the lock box cover has been removed:
In the picture to the right the lock box cover has been removed:
Elevator doors open and close traveling on a top track and in a bottom track, very similar to closet wardrobe doors. The top of the doors slide back and forth on the top track using two wheels per door.
The bottom of the doors slide back and forth in the bottom track using a minimum of two Gib Blocks per door.
Door picking tools - used along the top or around the side of an elevator door. Door poling tools - long handle tool used to open doors from the side or from the floor above.
Paddle Tool / T Tool used on center opening doors only Emergency Drop Keys (Not in the State of CA) - Moon Shaped, T Shaped, Drop Key
Forcible Entry (AS A LAST RESORT) use: Small Airbag first choice Hydra Ram/Rabbit tool and/or Irons second choice
Director of Training Battalion Chief Derek Alkonis LACoFD Training Services Section (323) 881-2436