Elevator Safety Code ASME 17.1

[a10jp]

I have a question on ASME 17.1 regarding Firefighter Emegency Service recall for elevators. Normally in US the ASME 17.1 Elevator safety code stipulates that in the event the smoke detectors located in the elevator machine room, hoistway, or in the elevator lobby on any floor will activate Phase I recall to the designated landing, or to the alternate floor if the smoke detector is activated in the designated floor elevator lobby. And in addition, the elevator control will cause an automatic power shut down in the event any heat detectors or sprinkler head in the elevator machine room or hoistway actuates, which will automatically bring the car to the nearest landing, open door and shut down. The point I am making here is there are 2 distinct operations to whether bring the car down to the designated floor or to nearest safe landing and shutdown by the order of operation from the smoke detection (early warning, maybe fire) to the heat detection (fire occuring)

I am currently working in Japan, and the Japanese code simply stipuiates any snoke or heat detection will bring the elebvator car down to the nearest landing regardless, open door, then stopped the elevator at that floor. The logic is very simple, don't use the eleavtor!

I am not questioning which code to follow, just making a comparison and understanding. The question I want to ask is this. What is the rationale in the US code to require the elevator to be brought down to the designated floor in the case when smoke alarm is activated. Do we assume the smoke is safe enough over a minimal risk for a potential trapped passenger travelling in an elavator cab under the Phase I recall? If you are the passenger, in an alarm situation, wouldn't you want to get out of the elevator as soon as possible and take the stairs? What is the logic here?

 

[cdafd]

In the first phase, the elevator controller recalls affected elevators to a designated or alternate level that is determined by the building configuration and the first actuated initiating device. The recall accomplishes two things: It ensures that nobody is left in an elevator and it makes an elevator or elevators available for firemen when they arrive at the building.

http://www.nfpa.org/itemDetail.asp?... Article 620: Elevator Controls&cookie_test=1

I think I would want to get as close to the ground floor as possible