Temporary Use of a New Elevator Before Final Acceptance
A new four-story medical office building has an installed machine-room-less elevator. The car, doors, controller, and emergency phone are installed, but the final acceptance inspection is scheduled in three weeks. The general contractor wants to use the elevator now to move drywall and equipment, arguing that the elevator has passed the installer's own 'pre-test' and that no patients will ride it. The owner's representative asks the mechanic to 'power it up and let the trades use it' until the formal inspection. The mechanic notices that the firefighter's service phase II recall has not been tested, the pit ladder is installed but the pit lighting circuit is not complete, and the hoistway is still open at one landing.
1. Can the mechanic energize and allow construction use? What code and regulatory issues are raised?
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No. An elevator cannot be operated for any purpose, including construction use, without a certificate or temporary authorization from the AHJ. The installer's pre-test is not an acceptance inspection. The untested firefighter's service phase II recall and incomplete pit lighting are code deficiencies, and the open hoistway is a fall hazard. Energizing the unit for trade use would place an uncertified elevator in operation. If the mechanic needs to run the car for adjustment, that must be done under controlled conditions with the hoistway secured and no unauthorized riders.
2. What steps can the contractor take to obtain temporary use, and what conditions would the AHJ likely impose?
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The contractor should request a temporary certificate of inspection from the AHJ and support it with an inspection of the installed equipment. Before requesting it, the contractor should complete the firefighter's service testing, finish the pit lighting, and protect the open hoistway. The AHJ may issue a temporary certificate limited to construction use, with conditions such as a trained operator, no passenger service, barricades, a working emergency phone, and a definite expiration date. The mechanic should not accept a verbal approval in place of the certificate.