Following advice from their building control team, our client in Leicester have decided to upgrade the passenger lift we installed for them in November 2018 to a firefighting lift.
As you may know, in the event of a fire, it is not appropriate to use a lift whilst there is an increased risk of passengers becoming trapped. As such modern lifts that are wired into the mains of a building will automatically close down in the event of a fire, and people inside the building will use designated fire exits to evacuate the building.
Another measure that can be taken by clients are to fit firefighting lifts within buildings.
But what exactly is a firefighting lift?
Well, rather than being remained closed down and unavailable for use in the event of a fire, these specifically designed lifts help the fire service to tackle the fire. They even come equipped with a fireman’s ladder. In the event of a fire, the closed down lift can be re-activated by the emergency services via the use of the fireman’s switch, similar to the one shown below.
We have included some technical amendments below which will transform the lift into a firefighting lift.
We will be:
– Replacing the cabin sides to include installation of a fireman’s ladder
– Installing a new LOP and indicator
– Installing a new door operator to IP rated type
– Replacing and raising all landing entrances by 25 millimetres
– Installing a new COP
– Replacing controller and wiring
– Fitting a fireman’s switch on to the ground floor
Building control within taller buildings or ones with deep basements may advise that these lifts are a more preferable option than regular lifts at installation stage. Here at Sheridan Lifts, we will always advise when we feel a firefighting lift should be installed.
This job will commence on 17 October 2019 and I will post updates as and when we have them.