ASME Seeking Experts for Elevator Task Groups (8/24/04)

ASME is seeking experts in the areas of elevator operations and fire and rescue procedures, as well as fire protection engineers, code enforcement personnel and ASME A17 code committee members, to participate on two new elevator task groups.

The groups will examine ways to better protect both firefighters are building occupants in the event of fires and other emergencies.

For nearly two years, ASME has been assisting the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in its Congressionally mandated investigation into the collapse of World Trade Center Towers 1, 2, and 7. The role of ASME is limited to an examination of the A17.1 elevator code to determine what revisions, if any, should be made as a result of lessons learned from the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Specifically, there is renewed interest in the use of elevators for both occupant egress and firefighters access.

The task groups will consider the recommendations made at the workshop, "The Use of Elevators in Fires and Other Emergencies," which was held in March 2004 in Atlanta. At that time, workshop participants gathered information from key constituencies regarding firefighter access to, and occupant egress from, tall buildings in fires and other emergencies. They also developed several recommendations for possible revisions to the ASME A17.1 code, the bulk of which will form the two new task groups: The Use of Elevators by Firefighters, and The Use of Elevators for Occupant Egress.

The project is a collaborative effort of ASME, NIST, the International Code Council (ICC), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Access Board, and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF)

The Elevator Task Groups will commence activities in October 2004. The meetings will be held at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel, Boston. The first group, on the topic of firefighter access, will meet Oct. 12-13. The second group, focusing on occupant egress, will convene Oct. 13-14.

There is no registration fee associated with this event, but attendees must register to participate. To register or for more information contact Geraldine Burdeshaw at
(212) 591-8523 or via e-mail at burdeshawg@asme.org.



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