#22459097

Elevator, ADA Compliancy and Life Safety Issue: Residential elevator safety, accessibility, building maintenance, and basement egress I am requesting an on-site inspection and enforcement investigation concerning the approximately 1962 residential elevator and related building/life-safety conditions at 480 Crescent Street. The elevator has a valid California operating permit, but the existence of a valid permit does not eliminate the need to inspect current operating conditions, maintenance, safety equipment, accessibility, and subsequent defects. 1. ELEVATOR DOOR MALFUNCTION / POTENTIAL LIFE-SAFETY HAZARD The elevator door at the basement level stopped during its closing cycle. A person had to physically push/hit the heavy door to get it unstuck. The door also demonstrates abnormal/creeping closing behavior during the closing cycle. This requires inspection of the complete door system, including: door operator; car door; hoistway doors; door tracks and rollers; closing force; closing speed; door dwell time; door reopening device/safety edge/light curtain; obstruction sensing; door restrictor; door locks/interlocks; electrical door contacts; and associated safety controls. The door must be tested to determine whether it reliably reopens when an obstruction is encountered and whether its operation complies with applicable California Elevator Safety Orders and accessibility requirements. 2. DEFECTIVE OR INOPERATIVE DOOR-REOPENING PROTECTION The door-reopening/safety-edge/light-curtain protection appears unreliable and requires inspection/testing. The applicable elevator safety system should be tested for its required sensing/reopening function, including the applicable obstruction-sensing zone. This is particularly serious because the door has already demonstrated abnormal operation and has physically stopped during closing. 3. EXCESSIVE PHYSICAL FORCE / HEAVY MANUAL LANDING DOORS The elevator has heavy manual/swinging steel landing doors requiring substantial physical effort to operate. This presents an accessibility barrier for persons with: limited hand/arm strength; limited upper-extremity use; wheelchairs; walkers; canes; or other mobility limitations. The actual operating force should be measured and the doors evaluated under the applicable ADA/CBC existing-elevator requirements. 4. EMERGENCY TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION There is no verified functioning two-way emergency communication system that permits an elevator occupant to communicate with an emergency response location. Please inspect and determine: whether an emergency telephone/communication device is installed; whether it provides two-way communication; where the call terminates; whether the receiving location is attended as required; whether emergency personnel can identify the elevator/car; whether the system works during loss of normal power; and whether the system is accessible to persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech limitations. California Elevator Safety Orders, including 8 CCR §3041, should be applied as appropriate. 5. EMERGENCY ALARM There is no verified functioning elevator emergency alarm/bell. The emergency alarm should be tested from inside the elevator and evaluated under the applicable California Elevator Safety Orders. 6. EMERGENCY LIGHTING There is no verified adequate emergency illumination in the elevator. The elevator should be tested under normal power and loss-of-power conditions to determine whether required emergency lighting is provided and operational. 7. ELEVATOR LEVELING / TRIP AND WHEELCHAIR HAZARD The elevator does not consistently appear to level properly with the landing. Please measure the actual vertical leveling difference at each landing and determine compliance with the applicable elevator safety and accessibility requirements. An excessive leveling difference creates a trip hazard and can cause wheelchair, walker, cane, or other mobility-device wheels to catch at the threshold. 8. ELEVATOR SILL / THRESHOLD GAP Please measure the horizontal gap between the elevator car sill/platform and each landing sill. An excessive gap creates a wheelchair wheel-entrapment, foot-entrapment, and trip hazard. 9. ELEVATOR CAB ACCESSIBILITY / MANEUVERING SPACE The approximately 1962 elevator cab is extremely limited in usable space. Please measure and document: cab clear width; cab clear depth; clear floor area; door clear opening; unobstructed maneuvering space; wheelchair entry/exit space; and accessibility of the control area. Please apply the correct existing-elevator provisions rather than assuming that a modern-elevator dimensional standard automatically applies. 10. ELEVATOR CAPACITY The posted elevator permit indicates a capacity of 12 persons. The physical cab is extremely small. I am requesting verification of the permitted/rated capacity against the actual elevator configuration, rated load, cab dimensions, and State records. 11. HALL CALL BUTTONS Please inspect and measure all elevator hall-call controls for: accessible height/reach range; required button dimensions; raised/tactile operation; mechanical activation; button illumination; visible registration confirmation; audible/visual elevator arrival indication; directional indication; and required unobstructed clear floor space. 12. FLOOR INDICATION / HALL SIGNALS The elevator does not provide adequate visible floor-position information. Please inspect for required: car floor-position display; floor identification; audible signals; visual directional signals; elevator arrival signals; and accessible information for persons with visual or hearing disabilities. 13. TACTILE / BRAILLE IDENTIFICATION Please inspect all elevator entrances and the car operating panel for required tactile and Braille identification, including applicable: floor designations; elevator entrance identification; main-entry-floor identification; car operating controls; emergency controls; alarm; stop; door-open; and door-close identification. The applicable CBC/ADA requirements should be determined based upon the elevator's existing-installation status and any subsequent alterations. 14. CAR OPERATING PANEL Please inspect the car operating panel for: maximum accessible reach height; tactile/Braille labeling; button size and activation; illumination; emergency-control accessibility; emergency-control grouping; alarm; stop; door-open; door-close; main-entry-floor identification; and emergency communication controls. 15. CAB AND LANDING LIGHTING The elevator cab, controls, threshold, and landing/sill areas should be measured for illumination and compared with the applicable accessibility/elevator requirements. 16. CAB FLOOR / THRESHOLD Please inspect the cab flooring and threshold for: stable and firm flooring; slip resistance; uneven transitions; damaged flooring; loose materials; and conditions that interfere with wheelchair/walker access. 17. CAB SUPPORT/HANDRAIL Please inspect the cab for required support/handrail provisions under applicable California requirements, including mounting height, wall clearance, attachment, and structural capacity. 18. COMPLETE ELEVATOR MECHANICAL AND SAFETY INSPECTION Because this is an approximately 1962 elevator, I request a complete safety inspection, not merely a visual inspection of the passenger compartment. Please inspect/test, as applicable: driving machine; motor; brake; controller; electrical controls; wiring; governor; car safety; overspeed protection; terminal stopping devices; leveling system; suspension equipment; sheaves; traveling cable; machine-room equipment; hoistway equipment; guide rails; counterweight components; door interlocks; car and hoistway doors; pit; buffers; pit equipment; overhead/top-of-car equipment; required clearances; and all applicable safety circuits. 19. ELEVATOR MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR HISTORY Please determine whether the property owner/operator has maintained the elevator as required and obtain/review, as appropriate: maintenance records; service calls; repair records; emergency repair records; door-repair records; safety-device repair records; leveling-repair records; emergency-communication repair records; maintenance/service agreement; State inspection reports; correction notices; Preliminary Orders; reinspection records; and records of elevator outages or resident complaints. 20. OAKLAND ELEVATOR MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS Please investigate compliance with Oakland's Elevator Maintenance Ordinance, which requires operators of residential properties with elevators to maintain elevators in operable condition and addresses expeditious repair of malfunctions and protections for residents whose disabilities or physical conditions substantially restrict their ability to use stairs when an elevator is inoperable. Oakland specifically recognizes safe and functional residential elevators as important to continued housing access for people with mobility disabilities. 21. BASEMENT STAIRWAY / MEANS OF EGRESS OBSTRUCTION There is a separate fire/life-safety condition in the basement. The basement stair/egress path is blocked/obstructed by old furniture and materials. Please inspect whether the obstruction: reduces the required egress width; blocks or restricts the means of egress; creates a trip/fall hazard; interferes with emergency evacuation; or violates the applicable Oakland/California Fire Code. Please refer this condition to Oakland Fire Code Enforcement if necessary. 22. ACCESSIBLE EGRESS Please determine whether residents with disabilities have a legally compliant means of egress when the elevator is unavailable, including evaluation of the basement egress route and applicable emergency/accessible-egress requirements. 23. REQUEST FOR ADA ACCESSIBILITY REVIEW I request review by the appropriate Oakland ADA/accessibility personnel of the elevator conditions affecting independent access, including: defective/abnormal door operation; door-opening force; door safety/reopening protection; elevator controls; reach ranges