Electrical room lighting

[david luchini]

I thought it was interesting that the code section mentioned 3 different types of inclusions for em lighting -- egress which is IBC -- exit signs which is IBC -- all other required lighting, please give me an example of other required lighting that does not include egress or exit signs.

110.26(D) Illumination. Illumination SHALL be provided for all working spaces about service equipment, switchboards, panelboards or motor control centers installed indoors.

 

[dkidd]

From the ROP

________________________________________________________________
1-149 Log #1760 NEC-P01 Final Action: Reject
(110.26(D)(1) (New) )
________________________________________________________________
Submitter: Michael A. Anthony, University of Michigan
Recommendation: Add new text to read as follows:
(110.26(D)(1) (New) ) Illumination Emergency Power. An emergency
lighting system shall automatically illuminate the areas around electrical
service panels greater than 200 amperes for a duration of not less than 90
minutes.
Substantiation: This proposal is intended to provide an illuminated path for
rescue personnel that leads toward the electric service equipment in the event
that an electrician is injured. In many cases, an ingress toward electric service
equipment is not the same as the egress path and that path could be dark and
delay first responders getting to the electric service equipment because, after
all, the accident at the service panel caused the outage in the first place.
This safety concept originated in Proposal 1-218, Log #2401 of the 2005
National Electric Code cycle by David Williams, Chief Electrical Inspector of
Delta Township, Michigan and has been shopped around for the past six years
by the submitter to the NFPA 70B, 70E and 101 committees. All of these
committees think that this requirement belongs in another document. The
substantiation for the most recent rejection by the NFPA 101 committee is
reproduced here for the convenience of CMP-1:
Committee Statement: The purpose of the Code is to facilitate evacuation from
the facility, not to facilitate repairs during a power outage. Service personnel
can carry portable luminaires (flashlights), if needed.
So there you have it: a near-perfect circle of fingers, each committee pointing
to another committee or another document. This seems to be a clear case that
the IBEW and other interest groups would want to strengthen the safety net for
electricians. A companion proposal will be submitted to the committee working
on Article 230.
Panel Meeting Action: Reject
Panel Statement: It is not reasonable to require emergency lighting of all the
equipment listed at a particular facility. There is insufficient technical
substantiation to make this a general installation requirement. The Panel notes
Panel 13 has purview over Article 700 in the NEC where the concern of the
submitter can be addressed. The Panel requests the Technical Correlating
Committee forward this proposal to Panel 13 for information.
Number Eligible to Vote: 12
Ballot Results: Affirmative: 10 Negative: 2

 

[brother]

From the ROP

________________________________________________________________
1-149 Log #1760 NEC-P01 Final Action: Reject
(110.26(D)(1) (New) )
________________________________________________________________
Submitter: Michael A. Anthony, University of Michigan
Recommendation: Add new text to read as follows:
(110.26(D)(1) (New) ) Illumination Emergency Power. An emergency
lighting system shall automatically illuminate the areas around electrical
service panels greater than 200 amperes for a duration of not less than 90
minutes.
Substantiation: This proposal is intended to provide an illuminated path for
rescue personnel that leads toward the electric service equipment in the event
that an electrician is injured. In many cases, an ingress toward electric service
equipment is not the same as the egress path and that path could be dark and
delay first responders getting to the electric service equipment because, after
all, the accident at the service panel caused the outage in the first place.
This safety concept originated in Proposal 1-218, Log #2401 of the 2005
National Electric Code cycle by David Williams, Chief Electrical Inspector of
Delta Township, Michigan and has been shopped around for the past six years
by the submitter to the NFPA 70B, 70E and 101 committees. All of these
committees think that this requirement belongs in another document. The
substantiation for the most recent rejection by the NFPA 101 committee is
reproduced here for the convenience of CMP-1:
Committee Statement: The purpose of the Code is to facilitate evacuation from
the facility, not to facilitate repairs during a power outage. Service personnel
can carry portable luminaires (flashlights), if needed.
So there you have it: a near-perfect circle of fingers, each committee pointing
to another committee or another document. This seems to be a clear case that
the IBEW and other interest groups would want to strengthen the safety net for
electricians. A companion proposal will be submitted to the committee working
on Article 230.
Panel Meeting Action: Reject
Panel Statement: It is not reasonable to require emergency lighting of all the
equipment listed at a particular facility. There is insufficient technical
substantiation to make this a general installation requirement. The Panel notes
Panel 13 has purview over Article 700 in the NEC where the concern of the
submitter can be addressed. The Panel requests the Technical Correlating
Committee forward this proposal to Panel 13 for information.
Number Eligible to Vote: 12
Ballot Results: Affirmative: 10 Negative: 2

Thanks for posting this. I remember hearing about someone had made the proposal, but it never got accepted. At least something similar was accepted for the 2014 NEC 700 article.

 

[mwm1752]

From the ROP

________________________________________________________________
1-149 Log #1760 NEC-P01 Final Action: Reject
(110.26(D)(1) (New) )
________________________________________________________________
Submitter: Michael A. Anthony, University of Michigan
Recommendation: Add new text to read as follows:
(110.26(D)(1) (New) ) Illumination Emergency Power. An emergency
lighting system shall automatically illuminate the areas around electrical
service panels greater than 200 amperes for a duration of not less than 90
minutes.
Substantiation: This proposal is intended to provide an illuminated path for
rescue personnel that leads toward the electric service equipment in the event
that an electrician is injured. In many cases, an ingress toward electric service
equipment is not the same as the egress path and that path could be dark and
delay first responders getting to the electric service equipment because, after
all, the accident at the service panel caused the outage in the first place.
This safety concept originated in Proposal 1-218, Log #2401 of the 2005
National Electric Code cycle by David Williams, Chief Electrical Inspector of
Delta Township, Michigan and has been shopped around for the past six years
by the submitter to the NFPA 70B, 70E and 101 committees. All of these
committees think that this requirement belongs in another document. The
substantiation for the most recent rejection by the NFPA 101 committee is
reproduced here for the convenience of CMP-1:
Committee Statement: The purpose of the Code is to facilitate evacuation from
the facility, not to facilitate repairs during a power outage. Service personnel
can carry portable luminaires (flashlights), if needed.
So there you have it: a near-perfect circle of fingers, each committee pointing
to another committee or another document. This seems to be a clear case that
the IBEW and other interest groups would want to strengthen the safety net for
electricians. A companion proposal will be submitted to the committee working
on Article 230.
Panel Meeting Action: Reject
Panel Statement: It is not reasonable to require emergency lighting of all the
equipment listed at a particular facility. There is insufficient technical
substantiation to make this a general installation requirement. The Panel notes
Panel 13 has purview over Article 700 in the NEC where the concern of the
submitter can be addressed. The Panel requests the Technical Correlating
Committee forward this proposal to Panel 13 for information.
Number Eligible to Vote: 12
Ballot Results: Affirmative: 10 Negative: 2

the code section mentioned 3 different types of inclusions for em lighting -- egress which is IBC -- exit signs which is IBC -- all other required lighting, please give me an example of other required lighting that does not include egress or exit signs. Still in question why the inclusion of "all other required lighting" was put into code

 

[inspector141]

There are two types of responses to the original question:

Lighting in electrical rooms and emergency lighting in electric rooms. However, the question was specific to emergency lighting only. I have looked in Life Safety 101, IBC and NFPA1, and did not find any requirements for emergency lighting in an electric room.

 

[inspector141]

the code section mentioned 3 different types of inclusions for em lighting -- egress which is IBC -- exit signs which is IBC -- all other required lighting, please give me an example of other required lighting that does not include egress or exit signs. Still in question why the inclusion of "all other required lighting" was put into code

There are numerous NFPA codes that require emergency lighting.

"All other required lighting" would be health care/hospitals, fire pump rooms/areas, day care, schools, elevator machine rooms, etc. These areas(and others) require additional emergency lighting above and beyond the general egress/exit light requirements as found in the IBC and 101.

 

[mwm1752]

There are numerous NFPA codes that require emergency lighting.

"All other required lighting" would be health care/hospitals, fire pump rooms/areas, day care, schools, elevator machine rooms, etc. These areas(and others) require additional emergency lighting above and beyond the general egress/exit light requirements as found in the IBC and 101.

Great answer Marty -- So the "health care/hospitals, fire pump rooms/areas, day care, schools, elevator machine rooms, etc." are found in personal NFPA codes to the specific topic? or another NFPA code book which contains all references? Are they all referred to as EM lighting in these codes? or just as required for the space?

 

[kwired]

Great answer Marty -- So the "health care/hospitals, fire pump rooms/areas, day care, schools, elevator machine rooms, etc." are found in personal NFPA codes to the specific topic? or another NFPA code book which contains all references? Are they all referred to as EM lighting in these codes? or just as required for the space?

My answer - whatever code has been adopted by the AHJ.

Might somewhat seem like a sarcastic answer, but if a specific publication number is what is adopted and is in fact written into laws, you can forget about the others, they mean nothing if not referenced to.

When it comes to some applications like a hospital the AHJ may not be a typical "building codes" type of inspector, they may be from a jurisdiction that deals with health care facilities in general, which may not be associated with any city/county or other local AHJ but rather a health care licensing authority on some higher level. Unlike local building inspection AHJ's, if you don't comply with their inspections/codes instead of dealing with being able to open the doors for business, they are dealing with the ability to provide health care from some higher level AHJ.

Your basic NEC still applies and is probably covered by the local electrical inspector, but things like what requires emergency illumination may be trumped by this health care licensing authority.