Electric Room Via Ships Ladder

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rjken1969

Member
Location
Princeton, NJ
An owner I'm working with wants to save cost and use a ships ladder to access a second floor electric room. I don't see anything in the NEC to prohibit this, the equipment will be accessible. This will be the only access to the room. Does this meet all other code requirements?
 

rjken1969

Member
Location
Princeton, NJ
My feeling is it's not a good idea, but as always cost is driving the request. However, I can't find anything that will not allow it. Egress will be to a platform with a ladder about 10' above grade.
 

Smart $

Esteemed Member
Location
Ohio
My feeling is it's not a good idea, but as always cost is driving the request. However, I can't find anything that will not allow it. Egress will be to a platform with a ladder about 10' above grade.
I'm currently thinking the electric room is the only room that is second floor. What type occupancy? Building code may apply...
 

Shoe

Senior Member
Location
USA
As long as all code-required clearances are maintained (including double-clearance for large equipment, which isn't applicable in your case), then you should be fine. This is assuming there is nothing in your juristdiction that would consider this to be an "occupied area", but that would be against the norm.
 

Smart $

Esteemed Member
Location
Ohio
This is an A2 occupnacy with an elevated room. The only access to the room will be this external ladder.
I'm no expert on building code regarding permanently installed ladders. I get the impression building codes can vary from state to state and locality. Perhaps the best resource to make this determination would be the local building dept official.
 

Shoe

Senior Member
Location
USA
Most mechanical rooms (i.e. electrical rooms), using the IBC as an example, will consider spaces dedicated to mechanical equipment to be unoccupied, therefore not subject to standard accessibility requirements.

This is likely the case, as I haven't seen examples to the contrary unless there was occupiable space within a mechanical room (such as a workstation).

However, as mentioned above, code-required clearances around equipment still apply. And large equipment (1200amps / 6ft), will require double clearance due to one exit and no panic hardware.
 

GoldDigger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Placerville, CA, USA
Occupation
Retired PV System Designer
FWIW, if there are disconnects, etc. in the room that are required by code to be readily accessible some inspectors may take issue with the ladder.
 

Shoe

Senior Member
Location
USA
From a building-code standpoint, there is little distinction for most building types (other than special electrical systems requiring separate structural separations, such as EPS equipment). A mechanical room often houses main electrical equipment with no strucutral barrier other than clearances about the equipment be maintained.
 
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Smart $

Esteemed Member
Location
Ohio
From a building-code standpoint, there is little distinction for most building types (other than special electrical systems requiring separate structural separations, such as EPS equipment). A mechanical room often houses main electrical equipment with no strucutral barrier other than clearances about the equipment be maintained.
I agree with the latter statement... but the question of a dedicated electrical room being considered a mechanical room remains. :happyyes:
 

Jraef

Moderator, OTD
Staff member
Location
San Francisco Bay Area, CA, USA
Occupation
Electrical Engineer
110.26(C)(2)(a)
But it will depend on the interpretation of "Accesible". If one had climb a ladder to get to a disconnect device quickly, or risk falling 10 ft to exit quickly, it might be considered hazardous and not "accessible" enough.

If it were me, the risk of building it this way, THEN having an AHJ reject the concept based on HIS interpretation of a single word and having to REBUILD it, is not worth the little bit they would save.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
We have a ton of customers with the only access to electrical rooms via a permanent vertical ladder bolted to the wall.

IMO as long as the ladder is permanent the codes have been satisfied assuming the gear is not so large two entrances are required.


On a personal level I think it is a crappy arrangement.
 
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