What is automatic elevator recall triggered by fire detection?
Automatic elevator recall is the order sent by the fire detection control panel that forces the car to descend to a designated level (generally ground floor or an evacuation level defined in the file), open its doors, then shut down. The objective is simple: prevent an occupant from being trapped in a car or an elevator from continuing to serve a level where fire is developing.
This operation relies on targeted detection: elevator shafts and machinery rooms are covered by dedicated detectors, distinct from the building's general detection zones. As soon as one of these detectors (or general detection, depending on the programming logic adopted) triggers, the control panel activates an output that cuts normal service. This principle applies to low, medium and high-rise buildings as defined in the classification of the Royal Decree of 7 July 1994.
What is a firefighters' priority elevator and when is it mandatory?
The firefighters' priority elevator (ascenseur prioritaire pompier) is an elevator designed to remain operable by emergency services during a fire, unlike standard elevators which are taken out of service. It has a protected shaft and machinery room, emergency power supply, and a key-operated switch reserved for firefighters in the car and at the access level.
This type of elevator falls under European standard NBN EN 81-72 (lifts for use by fire-fighting services), which sets its technical characteristics: fire resistance of the shaft, maximum travel time, emergency lighting, communication with the control level. Standard NBN EN 81-73 covers the behaviour of ordinary elevators in case of fire, i.e. the recall described above. The Royal Decree of 7 July 1994 requires a priority elevator in high-rise buildings, with the emergency zone (hulpverleningszone) able to specify the arrangements when issuing its opinion on the file.
| Elevator type | Behaviour upon fire detection | Reference standard |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary elevator without interface | No automatic order, risk of blockage | No interface provided |
| Elevator with automatic recall | Return to designated level, doors open, out of service | NBN EN 81-73 |
| Firefighters' priority elevator | Remains operable via firefighter key, emergency power | NBN EN 81-72 |
How does the detection control panel trigger the elevator shunt?
The detection control panel triggers the elevator shunt via a dedicated relay output, wired from the detection panel to the elevator control cabinet, independently of outputs controlling smoke extraction or fire doors. This output is programmed to activate on a specific detection zone, generally covering the shaft, machinery room or entire building depending on the scenario adopted in the file.
The preferred wiring philosophy is that of fail-safe contact: at rest the line is supervised and closed, any break or fault in the connection triggers a safety shutdown order for the elevator rather than no reaction. This principle prevents an isolated electrical failure from leaving the elevator operating normally during a fire not detected by the interface. The programming of this output and its cause-and-effect matrix must appear in the installation's technical file, in accordance with the design logic required by NBN S21-100-1.
What are the wiring requirements between fire detection and elevator?
Wiring between the detection control panel and the elevator control cabinet must ensure the recall order arrives even in case of incipient fire, which imposes requirements higher than standard electrical wiring. NBN S21-100-1 frames the expected characteristics for connections between detection and peripheral safety functions.
In practice, this translates into several points of vigilance:
- physical separation of detection/elevator wiring from other building electrical circuits, to limit risks of common fault propagation;
- line supervision (detection of break or short-circuit) signalled as fault at the detection panel;
- shaft crossing by cable whose performance is compatible with the expected function, particularly for the firefighters' priority elevator;
- accessibility of the control cabinet for joint maintenance operations, without having to isolate the elevator from the rest of the building.
Wiring responsibility is often shared between the detection installer and the elevator company: a written interface protocol between both parties avoids grey areas during inspection.
How to organize joint testing between fire detection and elevator?
Joint testing consists of simulating fire detection in the zone covering the elevator and verifying that the car reacts according to the planned scenario: return to designated level, door opening, shutdown, or switch to firefighter mode for the priority elevator. These tests cannot be performed by the detection team alone: they require the presence of the elevator maintenance company, which alone can intervene on the control cabinet.
NBN S21-100-2 requires periodic inspection of the fire detection installation and its interfaces with peripheral functions, of which elevator recall is part. This inspection is generally documented in the installation register, with test date, identity of operators and result obtained for each scenario. A poorly prepared joint test often limits itself to verifying contact at the detection panel without confirming the elevator actually executed the order, which does not meet the interface objective.
Who is responsible for proper operation of this interface?
The building manager remains responsible for proper operation of the interface between fire detection and elevator, but this responsibility is exercised in coordination with the detection installer, elevator maintenance company and the establishment's prevention advisor. None of these actors can validate complete chain operation alone.
In practice, the prevention advisor ensures maintenance contracts for both installations explicitly provide for periodic joint testing, not two separate inspections that never overlap. The emergency zone may request proof of these tests during its visit, as part of periodic building inspection. In case of doubt about consistency between the detection file and actual elevator behaviour, it is preferable to commission a joint audit rather than let two installations coexist that have never been tested together.