Smoke detectors in unsprinklered hoistways can only be used to:

• A. Trigger sprinkler system
• B. Activate smoke relief equipment
• C. Alarm the building
• D. Shut down hoist motors

Answer: (B)

In unsprinklered hoistways, smoke detectors are used to control smoke management rather than to trigger sprinklers or directly stop equipment. If a fire is detected, the primary function is to activate smoke relief equipment—ventilation fans and dampers—to exhaust smoke from the hoistway and dilute it, helping occupants evacuate and giving firefighters a clearer path to the shaft. Since there are no sprinklers in these hoistways, there’s nothing to trigger there, and shutting down hoist motors is typically handled by the elevator control/fire recall system, not the detector itself. Alarm signaling to the building’s fire alarm system may occur as part of the overall system, but the detector’s direct, intended action in this context is to activate the smoke relief/ventilation equipment.