Document 4V2jR53aX70pG5zRaZKV2BpR

28--Elevators and Plant Railways side and limits the sum of the clearances on the two sides to M in, unless skirt switches are installed The Elevator Code requires that each balustrade have a handrail moving m the same direction and at substantially the same speed as the steps Each moving handrail is to extend at normal handrail height (not less than 12 in beyond the points of the combplate teeth at the upper and lower landings) Hand or finger guards are to be provided at the point where the handrail enters the balustrade In some localities, barefoot passengers have been injured, and signs warning bare foot persons not to ride the escalator have been posted Umbrella tips frequently are caught between the grooves and the combplate, and this type of accident occasionally results in minor injuries and in damage to equipment Many accidents have resulted from attempts to handle baggage on escalators Suitcases and handbags should not be placed on the steps and, if earned by hand, always should be held parallel to the run of the escalator Escalator treads and landings should be of incombustible material affording secure foot hold. Some nders, through inexperience or in firmity, have trouble seeing the parting point where treads rise or descend and the point where they level off To aid them especially, the Elevator Code calls for illumination of at least 2 foot-candles on all tread surfaces, but some firms provide additional warnings In one case, all risers were painted a bright yellow, so that the rising face would contrast with the tread In another application, green lights (red is also a good color) were mounted inside the truss at top and bottom to shine through the treads where they break away and come together--the trouble points Some manufacturers mark the edges of the steps to emphasize the lines between adjacent steps One manufacturer, for example, adds a distinctive color sti ip to the edge of the step adjacent to the riser of the next step Signs reading Please Hold Handrail are often posted at the top and bottom and are found to be helpful It is important that no overly conspicuous or distracting signs (such as adveitismg) be placed near these critical 782 points (See Fig 22-9 on page 587 ) At the various floor levels, directional signs and floor number markings are recommended m order to improve traffic flow from the esca lators When traffic on escalators is extremely heavy, as m department stores during the Chnstmas shopping season, propnetors often station uniformed employees at each flight to repeat warnings and, if necessary, help nders on and off It is extremely important that no object or construction of any kind obstruct the free flow of passengers from the area at the exit of an escalatoi (This area is not a part of the esca lator ) Serious accidents have occurred where the flow of traffic from the exit was restneted by a fence or bamei placed at some distance from the escalator Fire protection Protection of escalator floor openings against the passage of fire and smoke is re quired by the Elevator Code One of the best safeguards against burnout is to divide buildings of fire-resistive construction into limited areas in which fire can be readily controlled Vertical openings need to be pro tected against the passage of fire from story to story This principle often is disregarded where escalators are installed Escalators, accredited as a required means of egress, must be fully enclosed m accord ance with the requirements of local laws and ordinances pertaining to intenor stairways Escalators, not accredited as a required means of egress, must have the floor openings protected bv one of the following methods, in accordance with national and local standards and regulations 1 Full enclosures 2 Kiosks 3 Automatic rolling shutters 4 Spnnkleis so spaced as to protect the exposed sides of the opening 5 Spray nozzles (only where the building area is fully protected by a supervised auto matic sprinkler system) For detailed specifications, see "National Fire Codes," Vol 4, Budding Construction