# Elevator Shaft Sprinklering



## Mech (Jan 9, 2014)

Three story sprinklered building in Pennsylvania

2009 IBC

Type 5B construction

Use Group R-2

The elevator shaft is CMU with a drywall ceiling top.  The contractor is asking if the shaft needs to be sprinklered.  Does it depend on the type of elevator lift system, location of elevator equipment, etc?

Does the IBC have jurisdiction of elevator shaft sprinklers or one of the adopted ANSI or ASME standards?

Thanks


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## cda (Jan 9, 2014)

Depends

What edition of nfpa 13 is adopted ??


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## cda (Jan 9, 2014)

What edition of nfpa 13, if adopted, and what is in the shaft

I think this is the 2013 edition

8.15.5.3 Automatic fire sprinklers shall not be required in elevator machine rooms, elevator machinery spaces, control spaces, or hoistways of traction elevators installed in accordance with the applicable provisions in NFPA 101, or the applicable building code, where all of the following conditions are met:

(1)

The elevator machine room, machinery space, control room, control space, or hoistway of traction elevator is dedicated to elevator equipment only.

(2)

The elevator machine room, machine room, machinery space, control room, control space, or hoistway of traction elevators are protected by smoke detectors, or other automatic fire detection, installed in accordance with NFPA 72.

(3)

The elevator machinery space, control room, control space, or hoistway of traction elevators is separated from the remainder of the building by walls and floor/ceiling or roof/ceiling assemblies having a fire resistance rating of not less than that specified by the applicable building code.

(4)

No materials unrelated to elevator equipment are permitted to be stored in elevator machine rooms, machinery spaces, control rooms, control spaces, or hoistways of traction elevators.

(5)

The elevator machinery is not of the hydraulic type.

8.15.5.4* Automatic sprinklers in elevator machine rooms or at the tops of hoistways shall be of ordinary- or intermediate-temperature rating.

8.15.5.5* Upright, pendent, or sidewall spray sprinklers shall be installed at the top of elevator hoistways.

8.15.5.6 The sprinkler required at the top of the elevator hoistway by 8.15.5.5 shall not be required where the hoistway for passenger elevators is noncombustible or limited-combustible and the car enclosure materials meet the requirements of ASME A17.1, Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators.


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## mtlogcabin (Jan 9, 2014)

The building codes do not reference the 2013 edition of the NFPA and unless specifically adopted by the local AHJ it is not relevant.

Now I have accepted NFPA 13 as an alternate method when it came to a traction elevator because that was a documentation/standard I could "approve". The contractor should request this in writing.

Some traction elevators will need a sprinkler at the top of the shaft because of the materials used in the shaft are combustible


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## Dr. J (Jan 13, 2014)

The 2009 IBC references the 2007 NFPA 13:

_8.15.5 Elevator Hoistways and Machine Rooms._

_8.15.5.1*  Sidewall spray sprinklers shall be installed at the bottom of each elevator hoistway not more than 2 ft (0.61 m) above the floor of the pit._

_8.15.5.2  The sprinkler required at the bottom of the elevator hoistway by 8.15.5.1 shall not be required for enclosed, __noncombustible__ elevator shafts that do not contain combustible hydraulic fluids._

(COMMENT – This is what exempts traction and MRL elevator hoistways.  It may be possible that there is a non-combustible hydraulic fluid and therefore would not require a sprinkler, but I would assume all hydraulic fluids have some flash point)

_8.15.5.3*  Automatic sprinklers in elevator machine rooms or at the tops of hoistways shall be of ordinary- or intermediate-temperature rating._

_8.15.5.4*  Upright, pendent, or sidewall spray sprinklers shall be installed at the top of elevator hoistways. _

_8.15.5.5  The sprinkler required at the top of the elevator hoistway by 8.15.5.4 shall not be required where the hoistway for passenger elevators is __noncombustible__ and the car enclosure materials meet the requirements of ASME A17.1, Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators._

(COMMENT -  it is highly unlikely, probably impossible that a new elevator does NOT meet ASME A17.1)

Note that to avoid the sprinklers, the hoistway must be “noncombustible”.  The definitions in NFPA 13 specifically establish a difference between “noncombustible” and “limited-combustible”.  Drywall is “limited-combustible” not “noncombustible”, and therefore by this definition, hoistways constructed of drywall need to be sprinklered top and bottom.  However, per IBC 703.4.2, drywall is considered noncombustible (otherwise drywall could not be used in type I and II buildings).  It is my experience that AHJ’s accept a drywall hoistway as noncombustible for this purpose.

The 2012 IBC references the 2010 NFPA 13, and this has changed subtly:

_8.15.5 Elevator Hoistways and Machine Rooms._

_8.15.5.1* Sidewall spray sprinklers shall be installed at the bottom of each elevator hoistway not more than 2 ft (0.61 m) above the floor of the pit._

_8.15.5.2 The sprinkler required at the bottom of the elevator hoistway by 8.15.5.1 shall not be required for enclosed, __noncombustible__ elevator shafts that do not contain combustible hydraulic fluids._

_8.15.5.3* Automatic sprinklers in elevator machine rooms or at the tops of hoistways shall be of ordinary- or intermediate temperature rating._

_8.15.5.4* Upright, pendent, or sidewall spray sprinklers shall be installed at the top of elevator hoistways._

_8.15.5.5 The sprinkler required at the top of the elevator hoistway by 8.15.5.4 shall not be required where the hoistway for passenger elevators is __noncombustible or limited-combustible__ and the car enclosure materials meet the requirements of ASME A17.1, Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators._

_8.15.5.6 Sprinklers shall be installed at the top and bottom of elevator hoistways where elevators utilize polyurethane-coated steel belts or other similar combustible belt material._



Note that under the 2010 NFPA 13 (2012 IBC) the bottom sprinkler requirement is the same - if drywall hoistway or hydraulic elevator, bottom sprinkler is required.  However, Limited-Combustible has been added to the top sprinkler exception.  Further, the hoistway needs to be sprinklered top and bottom if the belts are combustible.  This is new to me, so I am not sure how typical combustible belts are.  It sounds like this will mainly affect MRL elevators.

RE the OP, assuming a typical 3 story elevator is hydraulic, a bottom sprinkler is required, and the top sprinkler may be required if the AHJ does not accept the drywall lid as being noncombustible.

CDA’s quote is indeed the 2013 version, but that won’t be applicable until the 2015 IBC.  There is no more top sprinkler, and most non-hydraulic elevators should be able to meet the exceptions for the bottom sprinkler, as well as the machine/control room sprinkler


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## Dr. J (Jan 14, 2014)

One more thing - need to discuss IBC 903.1.1.1 Exempt Locations:

...

_4.  Rooms or areas that are of noncombustible construction with wholly noncombustible contents._

...

In the context of an elevator hoistway, a passenger elevator car is probably not noncombustible - ANSI A17.1 allows cars to have a non-zero flame spread and smoke developed rating, and therefor are not inherently noncombustible unless proven otherwise.


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## mtlogcabin (Jan 14, 2014)

> Does it depend on the type of elevator lift system, location of elevator equipment, etc?


Yes

Dr.J you forgot to mention traction elevators requirements

The 2012 IBC references the 2010 NFPA 13, and this has changed subtly:

_8.15.5 Elevator Hoistways and Machine Rooms._

_8.15.5.1* Sidewall spray sprinklers shall be installed at the bottom of each elevator hoistway not more than 2 ft (0.61 m) above the floor of the pit._

_8.15.5.2 The sprinkler required at the bottom of the elevator hoistway by 8.15.5.1 shall not be required for enclosed, __noncombustible__ elevator shafts that do not contain combustible hydraulic fluids._

_8.15.5.3* Automatic sprinklers in elevator machine rooms or at the tops of hoistways shall be of ordinary- or intermediate temperature rating._

_8.15.5.4* Upright, pendent, or sidewall spray sprinklers shall be installed at the top of elevator hoistways._

_8.15.5.5 The sprinkler required at the top of the elevator hoistway by 8.15.5.4 shall not be required where the hoistway for passenger elevators is __noncombustible or limited-combustible__ and the car enclosure materials meet the requirements of ASME A17.1, Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators._

_8.15.5.6 Sprinklers shall be installed at the top and bottom of elevator hoistways where elevators utilize polyurethane-coated steel belts or other similar combustible belt material._


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## Builder Bob (Jan 14, 2014)

what does NFPA 13 R state for elevator shafts - hint look at section 6.6.6 if the elevators are serving the dwelling unit-

(IMHO this is a poorly written section that should specify within the dwelling unit)


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## cda (Jan 14, 2014)

Builder Bob said:
			
		

> what does NFPA 13 R state for elevator shafts - hint look at section 6.6.6 if the elevators are serving the dwelling unit-(IMHO this is a poorly written section that should specify within the dwelling unit)


Made me look

""""""(IMHO this is a poorly written section that should specify within the dwelling unit) """""""   Not sure the point????

Could have an elevator serving just the floors, and corridors that lead to the individual units?

seems like almost the same wording as NFPA 13

6.6.6*   Sprinklers shall not be required in attics, penthouse equipment rooms, elevator machine rooms, concealed spaces dedicated exclusively to and containing only dwelling unit ventilation equipment, crawl spaces, floor/ceiling spaces, noncombustible elevator shafts where the elevator cars comply with ANSI A17.1, Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators, and other concealed spaces that are not used or intended for living purposes or storage and do not contain fuel-fired equipment.

Mandatory sprinkler protection of several of the areas in 6.6.6 would necessitate the use of dry pipe, antifreeze, or listed heat tracing systems in areas where freezing weather is encountered. Such systems dramatically increase the total cost of the sprinkler systems without correspondingly increasing the life safety offered by the sprinkler system. Very few deadly fires tend to start in these spaces. The reference to concealed spaces dedicated to dwelling unit ventilation equipment differs from the requirement for sprinklers in equipment closets found in 6.6.4, because these spaces are inaccessible by the occupants or maintenance personnel. These units are generally inset into the stud or wall cavities, and the only way to gain access to the space is to remove the entire unit. It is technically not a closet, since there is no door or access. When access is available to these spaces, there is a tendency by the maintenance personnel to use that space for storage of materials such as air filters, touch-up paint, and other accessories, in which case this section would then not apply. If this dwelling unit ventilation equipment is fuel fired, then sprinkler protection is required by 6.6.6.1.


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