Texas Administrative Code › Title 25 - HEALTH SERVICES › Part 1 - DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES › Chapter 131 - FREESTANDING EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE FACILITIES › Subchapter G - PHYSICAL PLANT AND CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS › Section 131.144 - Elevators, Escalators, and Conveyors

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12, 2024
(a) Elevators. All buildings that have
				  patient services located on other than the main entrance floor shall have
				  electric or electrohydraulic elevators. The elevators shall be installed in
				  sufficient quantity, capacity, and speed to ensure that the average interval of
				  dispatch time will not exceed 1 minute, and average peak loading can be
				  accommodated. Elevators shall also give access to all building levels normally
				  used by the public. Escalators and conveyors are not required but, when
				  provided, shall comply with these requirements and the requirement of
				  §20.3 of the National Fire Protection Association 101, Life Safety Code,
				  2003 Edition (NFPA 101), published by the National Fire Protection Association.
				  All documents published by the NFPA as referenced in this section may be
				  obtained by writing or calling the NFPA at the following address and telephone
				  number: P.O. Box 9101, 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, Massachusetts 02269-9101,
				  (800) 344-3555.
(b) Requirements
				  for new elevators, escalators, and conveyors. New elevators, escalators and
				  conveyors shall be installed in accordance with the requirements of Health and
				  Safety Code, Chapter 754, Elevators, Escalators, and Related Equipment, and
				  A17.1 Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators, 2000 edition, published by the
				  American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the American National
				  Standards Institute (ANSI). All documents published by the ASME/ANSI as
				  referenced in this section may be obtained by writing the ANSI, United
				  Engineering Center, 345 East 47th Street, New York, New York 10017.
(1) Location. Elevators shall not open to an
				  exit.
(2) Elevator car size. A
				  facility located above the ground floor must have an elevator of sufficient
				  size to accommodate a gurney available at all times. Minimum elevator car size
				  shall at least 5 feet 8 inches wide by 8 feet 6 inches deep.
(3) Car door opening. The smallest elevator
				  car door opening shall be at least 3 feet wide and 7 feet high.
(4) Elevator and elevator shaft doors. When
				  light beams are used for operating door opening devices, the beams shall be
				  used in combination with door edge devices and shall be interconnected with a
				  system of smoke detectors. The light control feature shall be disengaged when
				  smoke is detected in any elevator lobby.
(5) Type of controls and alarms. Elevator
				  call buttons, controls, and door safety stops shall be of a type that will not
				  be activated by heat or smoke.
(6)
				  Leveling. All elevators shall be equipped with an automatic leveling device of
				  the two-way automatic maintaining type with an accuracy of one-half
				  inch.
(7) Operation. All elevators,
				  except freight elevators, shall be equipped with a two-way key operated service
				  switch permitting cars to bypass all landing button calls and be dispatched
				  directly to any floor.
(8)
				  Accessibility of controls and alarms. Elevator controls, alarm buttons, and
				  telephones shall be accessible to wheelchair occupants in accordance with the
				  Americans with Disabilities Act.
(9) Smoke detection system. A smoke detection
				  system for elevator recall shall be located in elevator lobbies, elevator
				  machine rooms and at the top of elevator hoist ways as required by NFPA 72,
				  §6.15.3.10.
(A) The elevator recall
				  smoke detection system in new construction shall comply with requirements of
				  American Society of Mechanical Engineers/American National Standards Institute
				  (ASME/ANSI) A17.1, Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators, 2000 edition. The
				  publications of the ASME/ANSI referenced in this section may be obtained by
				  writing ASME/ANSI, United Engineering Center, 345 East 47th Street, New York,
				  New York 10017.
(B) The elevator
				  recall smoke detection system in existing facilities shall comply with
				  requirements of ASME/ANSI A17.3, Safety Code for Existing Elevators and
				  Escalators, 2002 edition.
(10) Elevator machine rooms. Elevator machine
				  rooms that contain solid-state equipment for elevators having a travel distance
				  of more than 50 feet above the level of exit discharge or more than 30 feet
				  below the level of exit discharge shall be provided with independent
				  ventilation or air conditioning systems with the capability to maintain an
				  operating temperature during fire fighter service operations. The operating
				  temperature shall be established by the elevator equipment manufacturer's
				  specifications and shall be posted in each elevator machine room. When standby
				  power is connected to the elevator, the machine room ventilation or air
				  conditioning shall be connected to standby power. These requirements are not
				  applicable to existing elevators.
(11) Testing. A facility shall have all
				  elevators and escalators routinely and periodically inspected and tested as
				  specified in ASME/ANSI A17.1, Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators, 2000
				  edition. All elevators equipped with fire fighter service shall be subject to a
				  monthly operation with a written record of the findings made and kept on the
				  premises as required by NFPA 101, §9.4.6.
(12) Certification. A facility shall obtain a
				  certificate of inspection evidencing that the elevators, escalators, conveyors,
				  and related equipment were inspected in accordance with the requirements in
				  Health and Safety Code, Chapter 754, Subchapter B, and determined to be in
				  compliance with the safety standards adopted under Health and Safety Code,
				  §
											754.014,
				  administered by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. The
				  certificate of inspection shall be on record in each facility.