Written by Eng. Houssam Zammam, QEI Elevator Inspector and Elevator Portfolio Manager
Sometimes, an elevator in Nevada is failed during inspection even when it is working perfectly. Smooth operation is provided by the car, the doors are operated correctly, and every mechanical component performs exactly as it should. Yet the building still ends up with a Notice of Violation.
One of the most common reasons behind this is a single missing document: the Report of Fire Testing.
Nevada requires this report to be on file before the annual Mechanical Compliance Section (MCS) inspection even begins. If it’s missing, expired, or incomplete, the result is an automatic violation. This holds true no matter how well the elevator responds during the fire recall demonstration, because the elevator inspector and the elevator mechanics cannot verify the fire alarm recall system on their own. That verification requires the fire alarm system technician to be present as well.
Building owners can also contact AR Elevator USA for elevator code compliance services to help review inspection requirements and required records.
Why So Many Buildings Are Getting Flagged
Most of the violations we see come down to a mix of strict formatting requirements, poor coordination between vendors, and confusion over who is actually authorized to sign off on the test.
The Dual Signature Requirement
Nevada’s Category 1 Elevator Test Record requires the fire service operation report to carry two separate signatures. One must come from a Nevada State Fire Marshal-licensed fire alarm contractor, and the other from a certified elevator service company holding a C7 (Elevator and Conveyance) license. Neither party can complete this verification alone. The elevator side confirms the car’s mechanical response, while the fire alarm side confirms the detection and signal sequence that triggers it. Without both present and both signing, the form is incomplete.
Automatic Failure on Paperwork Alone
If an inspector shows up and the report is missing, expired, or found to have only one of the two required signatures, an immediate deficiency is recorded. This happens even when the elevator responds flawlessly during the fire recall demonstration. In other words, a building can pass the physical test and still fail the inspection simply because the documentation wasn’t completed jointly.
For a recorded deficiency, AR Elevator USA provides annual inspection deficiency repair services to help building owners plan corrective work and prepare for reinspection.
The Coordination Gap Between Vendors
This is where most buildings run into trouble. Facility managers often schedule their fire alarm technician and their elevator contractor on different days. The fire alarm company shows up, tests the relays, and leaves. But without a licensed mechanic from the C7 elevator contractor present at the same time to verify the full sequence of operations, the legally required joint compliance form cannot be executed. Two separate visits do not equal one valid joint test.
Costs That Fall Outside Standard Maintenance
Another common surprise for property owners is discovering that annual fire recall testing and the mandatory five-year Fire Alarm Interface Device (FAID) testing are usually not included in a standard elevator maintenance contract. Because these services are excluded from the base agreement, they are often overlooked until a violation forces the issue.
What the Joint Test Actually Verifies
When the fire alarm technician and your C7 elevator contractor conduct the test together, they need to confirm and document three specific things.
- Phase I Primary Recall. When a lobby smoke detector is activated, every elevator in that bank must automatically travel to the designated primary evacuation floor, park there, and open its doors.
- Phase I Alternate Recall. If the smoke detector on the primary landing itself is the one that activates, the elevator must recognize the fire floor and divert instead to a pre-designated alternate landing.
- Fireman’s Hat and Shunt Trip. When heat is detected in the hoistway or machine room, the car’s fire indicator light must illuminate, or the shunt trip breaker must cleanly cut power before sprinklers activate. This step exists to prevent electrical faults caused by sprinkler water hitting live components.
Each of these has to work correctly and be documented with both required signatures before your building can be considered compliant.
How to Avoid the Violation Before It Happens
The good news is that this can be entirely prevented. It comes down to scheduling your fire alarm contractor and your C7-licensed elevator company for the same visit, confirming both signatures are collected on the report, and making sure the completed form is on file well ahead of your MCS inspection date. Building this into your annual planning, rather than treating it as an afterthought, is the difference between a clean inspection and a Notice of Violation that delays your certificate of operation.
If you are currently dealing with an active Notice of Violation, or you have an upcoming inspection and want to make sure your fire recall documentation is in order, our team can help coordinate the joint testing and get your paperwork filed correctly the first time.
Fire recall readiness is only one part of elevator compliance. Building owners can also review elevator machine room requirements before their next inspection.
Call AR Elevator today to get your fire recall system tested and your elevator back in compliance.
Phone: 702-810-2757 | 702-463-6430
Email: info@arelevatorusa.com
Address: 4345 Corporate Center Drive, Suite 203, North Las Vegas, NV 89030