Emergency rescue and automatic rescue operation function requirements for hotel elevators

Emergency rescue and automatic rescue operation function requirements for hotel elevators

I am elevator expert Ethan Liu. In hotels—venues with high occupant density and extremely high requirements for operational continuity—elevator emergency rescue and automatic rescue operation (ARD) functions are core design elements for safeguarding passenger safety and hotel reputation. Based on my years of engineering experience, these two functions are not only mandatory regulatory requirements but also aspects that hotel daily management cannot afford to overlook. Below I will analyze them in light of standards, practice and case studies.

1. Emergency Rescue Function Requirements

• Standard Reference: Clause 14.2.1 of GB 7588-2003 "Safety Rules for the Construction and Installation of Electric Lifts" requires elevators to be equipped with emergency operation devices, including a manual brake-release wrench and a handwheel for manual winding; Clause 15.5 requires an emergency alarm device (such as an intercom system or alarm bell) in the car, connected to 24-hour duty personnel. Clause 5.3.2 of GB/T 10060-2011 "Code for Acceptance of Electric Lifts Installation" emphasizes that rescue operations must be performed by trained personnel, and clear operating instructions must be provided in the hoistway.
• Engineering Experience: In hotel projects, I usually recommend the following measures:
• Dual-circuit power supply: When the main power fails, the backup power (such as a diesel generator or UPS) automatically switches over to ensure the elevator can run to the nearest floor and open its doors to release passengers. This is also required by Clause 10.1.4 of GB 50016-2014 "Code for Fire Protection Design of Buildings".
• Manual rescue devices: The machine room must be equipped with a brake-release wrench and a handwheel for manual winding, marked with the elevator number and direction. For high-speed elevators (≥2.5 m/s), an electric brake-release device should also be provided to reduce operating difficulty.
• Emergency communication: The intercom system in the car must be directly connected to the hotel's central control room or security center and tested regularly (monthly recommended). At the same time, rescue phone numbers and operating steps should be posted in the car.
• Actual Case: In a five-star hotel project, because no UPS was provided, a momentary mains interruption trapped passengers in 3 passenger elevators, and rescue took 45 minutes. Afterwards we installed UPS with automatic switchover (capacity sufficient for 5 minutes of operation) and trained security personnel in the manual winding procedure; subsequent similar situations were resolved within 10 minutes.

2. Automatic Rescue Operation (ARD) Function Requirements

• Standard Reference: Clause 14.2.1.5 of GB 7588-2003 permits the use of automatic rescue devices, but the following conditions must be met: the device can detect power failure, automatically switch to battery power, control the elevator to run at low speed (usually 0.1–0.5 m/s) to the leveling position, and automatically open the doors upon arrival. Clause 5.12.1 of EN 81-20:2014 (European standard, referenced domestically) further requires that the ARD device have overload protection and that the battery life support at least 10 complete operations.
• Engineering Experience: In hotel design, the ARD function is particularly important because:
• Reduced complaints: Automatic rescue prevents passengers from being trapped for long periods, improving the service experience.
• Regulatory compliance: Some local standards (such as Shanghai DB31/T 535-2011) require elevators in high-rise hotels to be equipped with ARD.
• Configuration recommendations: I recommend selecting ARD modules with a self-test function that can periodically test battery status. For fire-fighting elevators, ensure that ARD does not affect the fire-fighting function (i.e., it is disabled in fire-fighting mode).
• Precautions: The ARD device must match the elevator control system and is usually used for a single elevator; group control systems require separate configuration. Batteries should be placed in a ventilated location, and voltage and capacity should be checked quarterly.
• Actual Case: In an international hotel chain, we installed ARD systems on 6 passenger elevators. When a typhoon caused a regional power outage, all elevators automatically leveled and opened their doors within 10 seconds, no passengers were trapped, and hotel operations were unaffected. However, it was later found that the batteries aged quickly in the high-temperature machine room, so they were changed to high-temperature-resistant types (operating temperature -20~60℃).

3. Integration Recommendations for Hotel Scenarios

• Design stage: Explicitly require the ARD function in the elevator tender documents and specify the response time (e.g., activation within 5 seconds after power failure).
• O&M management: Formulate an annual rescue drill plan, including manual operation and ARD testing; post an "Automatic Rescue in Progress" notice in the car to reduce passenger panic.
• Standard updates: The new national standard GB/T 7588.1-2020, effective after 2020, has replaced the old version, with higher reliability requirements for ARD (e.g., added redundancy design).

Summary

The above are reference opinions. The actual project situation still needs to be further comprehensively evaluated and implemented in combination with specific operating conditions, site conditions and other factors.