Ascending to Safety

Did you know that there are an estimated 900,000 elevators in the United States as of 2023? That is no small number - and it only grows as commercial and residential buildings install new elevators. There are just under 1 million elevators across the country performing the same function, but there is one major thing these elevators have in common. Arguably one of the most important factors these elevators have in common is that they are all held to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) 17.1 elevator code standards. 

The ASME 17.1 elevator code standards are a set of safety standards for elevators and escalators in the United States that have covered elevators' design, construction, testing, and operation across the country since 1921. Nearly 18 billion elevator rides occur annually in the United States, according to Liberty Elevator, and thanks to the standards put in place by ASME, these everyday elevator trips are made exponentially safer. Without a doubt, passengers have these guidelines to thank for their many incident-free elevator rides each day. 

Under the current guidelines for the ASME 17.1 elevator standards, communications equipment within the elevator must meet these requirements: 

• A push button to start two-way communication must be present in or adjacent to an elevator operating panel. 

• A message activated by authorized personnel must be displayed to acknowledge that communications have been established between passengers and responders. 

• On the same panel as the phone push button, messages must be displayed that permit authorized personnel to communicate with trapped passengers, including passengers who cannot verbally communicate or hear. 

• Communication systems must be able to indicate when help is on the way with specific location identifiers. 

• Systems must include an option to display video to observe passengers at any location on the car floor

In essence, these standards ensure that safety and accessibility are a top priority for building managers, as they meticulously outline maintenance procedures, when to conduct them, and when they should opt to modernize an existing elevator. These guidelines emphasize passenger safety and accessibility, ensuring that building managers are up to speed regarding elevator communications and safety procedures.  

For building managers, one of the most effective ways to remain compliant with ASME 17.1 guidelines is to invest in a state-of-the-art elevator communication system that prioritizes reliability and accessibility for users and building staff alike - and Commend's elevator solution fits the bill. This offering allows passengers to select various prompts from the solution's simplified user interface to request help with many scenarios so that on-site personnel are equipped for any possible event. 

The Commend elevator solution goes above and beyond to ensure compliance with ASME 17.1 guidelines by making accessibility and convenience a priority. When incidents occur, passengers are presented with various options to establish communication with operators on standby. For example, the intercom screen will prompt passengers with hearing impairments to notify responders of their situation, ensuring that communications can proceed as needed. The elevator solution also provides passengers that are unable to speak with operators the option to communicate through nonverbal means to confirm their  

In addition to increasing accessibility for passengers with unique needs, the Commend elevator solution also excels in keeping passengers safe during times of crisis, such as medical emergencies, fires, and instances where passengers become trapped in the cab. The intercom's two-way communication capability allows passengers a safer, more efficient outcome by empowering operators to assess the situation before dispatching a response team. It also gives occupants peace of mind that help is on the way during distress.  

By remaining easy to use in high-stress conditions, Commend's offering provides passengers with a safer, more convenient experience and ensures compliance with industry guidelines that could otherwise result in heavy fines and fees if they did not meet the national safety standards. 

A successful intercom platform requires more than just a microphone, and Commend's unified system sets the standard for modern elevator communications, facilitating compliance with national standards.