36 CFR Parts 1190 and 1191 ADA and ABA Accessibility Guidelines - Preamble (Discussion of Comments and Changes)

Comment. Audible hall signals must indicate the direction of a responding car by the number of sounds (once for up and twice for down) or by verbal announcements (407.2.2.3). The proposed rule included a maximum frequency (1,500 Hz) for audible signals. The Board sought comment on whether a frequency band width should be specified for verbal annunciators (Question 21). Specifically, the Board asked whether a band width of 300 to 3,000 Hz for hall signals would be appropriate. Information on the availability and cost of products meeting this specification was also requested. Comments from the elevator industry indicated that hall signals currently fall within this range.

Response. The Board has added a requirement in the final rule that hall signal verbal annunciators have a frequency of 300 Hz minimum and 3,000 Hz maximum. For consistency, a similar requirement is specified for verbal car position indicators (407.4.8.2.3). In the proposed rule, these verbal annunciators were subject to a maximum frequency of 1,500 Hz. In addition, the Board has modified hall signal verbal annunciators by requiring that they "indicate the direction of elevator car travel," instead of specifying the content ("up," "down") as required in the proposed rule.

Comment. The proposed rule specified a decibel range of 20 to 80 decibels for hall signals and annunciators (407.2.3.1) and car position annunciators (407.3.4.2). Comments recommended that the minimum be changed to 10 decibels above the ambient noise level for consistency with the ANSI A117.1‒2003 standard.

Response. The minimum decibel range for hall and car position signals has been changed to 10 decibels above ambient. In addition, the provision for audible indicators (407.4.8.2) has been revised to require floor announcement when the car is about to stop, instead of when it has stopped, consistent with the ANSI A117.1 standard.