Items of Interest for Inspectors & Consultants

Dear Friends and Safety Professionals,

Welcome to our Web site. I just recently returned from the beautiful Capital City of Austin, Texas. I want to thank all the attendees at our QEI Maintenance and Preparation Seminars. We all had a great time and enjoyed the education and fellowship. 1 especially enjoyed seeing my old friend's Bryce Michaels and Bruce Barbre, and all those who have successfully completed our QEI Certification program.

I don't have a particular soap box to jump on for this issue of the newsletter. With the exception of the good stories and great fun of the trip to Austin, things have been quite routine and uneventful. I have run across several things while performing inspections and maintenance evaluations that I would like to bring to your attention.

During the Maintenance of Qualifications Seminar in Austin, we were going through the rather extensive changes made to Article 620. A question was asked regarding receptacles in an elevator pit. "If an existing elevator has a standard duplex receptacle in the pit, and the receptacle is replaced, does the new receptacle need to be a GFCI type?" My first inclination was to assume that the answer was no. But my innate curiosity and overriding desire to look smart made me look through the National Electrical Code to find out, after all, we all know what happens when you assume something about codes! Well low and behold, guess what I found. NFPA 70-1996 Section 210-7(d)(2) states that...Ground-fault circuit-interrupter protected receptacles shall be provided where replacements (of receptacles) are made at receptacle outlets that are required to be so protected elsewhere in this code." The 1993 Edition contains the same statement. The 1990 Edition does not contain this statement. Therefore, as far as I can tell, any area where the 1993 or 1996 National Electrical Code is in effect, requires that if a receptacle is replaced, and this receptacle location is now required to be a ground-fault circuit-interrupter type, the new receptacle shall be a ground-fault circuit-interrupter type. This may be a minor thing to some people, but a very significant matter to the person on the end of an electric tool in these locations There are some very significant differences in Article 620 between the 1996 and 1993 Editions of the National Electrical Codes, including many regarding ground fault protection for elevators and related equipment. While we are on this subject, let us review a couple of these changes.

NFPA 70-1993 620-85 requires..."All 125-volt, single phase, 15- and 20-ampere receptacles installed in machine rooms, machinery spaces, pits, and elevators car tops to have ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection." NFPA 70-1996 620-85 requires ..."Each 125-volt, single-phase, 15-and 20-ampere receptacle installed in machinery spaces, pits, elevator car tops, and in escalator and moving walk well ways shall be of the ground-fault circuit-interrupter type."

This means just what it says. Each receptacle must now be a ground-fault receptacle, not just ground-fault protected. Receptacles installed in machine rooms may still be provided with ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection. A change worth noting!

Please also review NFPA 70-1996, Section 620-22, and new Sections 620-23 and 620-24 for some very specific requirements for branch circuits for cars, machine rooms and machinery spaces and pits. Cars, machine rooms and machinery spaces and pits must now have a separate branch circuit, as opposed to the dedicated circuit noted in the 1993 Edition, (see 1993,620-22). In addition, the required lighting in pits and machine rooms and machinery spaces..."shall not be connected to the load side terminals of a ground-fault circuit interrupter receptacle(a)." I wonder why the lighting in and on the car top doesn't have the same requirement? Does anyone know?

There are a number of Article specific definitions that appear in 1996 Section 620-2 and some renumbering of Sections has also taken place. An item that really caught my attention is the 1996 Section 620-51 Disconnecting Means. Elevators without generator field control (620-51(a)(1) shall have their disconnecting means located within sight of the motor controller (see definitions). Driving machines located in a remote machinery space shall be provided with a single means for..."disconnecting all ungrounded main power supply conductors."

Elevators with generator field control (620-51-(a)(2) shall have their disconnecting means located " within sight of the motor controller for the driving motor of the motor generator set." Driving machines or motor generator sets located in remote machinery spaces shall be provided with a single means for . . ."disconnecting all ungrounded main power supply conductors."

The main item to note is that remote machinery spaces with driving machines and motor generator sets must be provided with a disconnecting means, not a switch connected in the control circuit to prevent starting. This disconnecting means is required to open the main power supply conductors, not the motor leads. I recently found an installation where the owners had remote machinery spaces with a disconnect for the motor leads and another for the machine brake. I nearly had a heart attack when I saw this. You should have seen the look on the owner's face when I demonstrated the hazards disconnecting the motor but leaving the brake free to be energized. It was corrected before l left the building. Check these things over carefully. Make sure these newly required disconnects are truly in series with the ones within sight of the motor controller.

If you scan the 1996 Article 620 you will see vertical lines on almost every page indicating changes from the 1993 Edition. Familiarize yourself with these changes. Violations of the National Electrical Code are the most common violations I find when performing inspections. Remember the entire National Electrical Code applies to elevators, not just Article 620.

I look forward to communicating with you again in around 30 days. In the mean time, let us here from you. Give us your input and feedback. If we can help each other improve our skills, vertical transportation will become an even safer mode of transportation. The best weapon in promoting safety is INFORMATION!

Sincerely,
Lawrence Taylor