ICC Ambulance Stretcher Inquiry  (407kb)

The 2006 ICC International Building Code (IBC) requires at least one elevator serving all floors to be able to accommodate a 24-inch by 84-inch stretcher in buildings four or more stories above/below grade where elevators are provided. NEII's immediate concern has been that a 3500 lb car cannot accommodate a rectangle of this size if the corners are square, but can accommodate a stretcher this size due to its rounded edges. While the 2009 IBC will include language incorporating a 5-inch minimum radius on stretcher corners (thus allowing a 3500 lb car), the 2006 IBC is silent on this issue. On July 28, 2008, ICC staff issued an advisory letter stating that the addition of the language regarding the rounded corners was essentially a clarification of the existing code requirement. Because all stretchers have rounded corners, it was implicit in the 2006 IBC that this design feature could be considered when specifying a car size to meet this code requirement.

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Documents

  NEII Position on Adoption of ASME A17.1-2010/CSA B44-10
        Updated Mar 24, 2011 (62kb)

  Standard for Elevator Suspension, Compensation, and Governor Systems, ASME A17.6 - Frequently Asked Questions
        Updated Jun 23, 2011 (36kb)

  Jurisdictional Authority under the ASME A17.7/CSA B44.7 Performance-based safety code for elevators and escalators
        Updated September 23, 2009 (55kb)

  Sprinklers and Elevators
        Updated Mar 1, 2007 (52kb)

  Model Elevator Law Revision 3
        Updated Sep 16, 2007 (79kb)

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