Battery Back up Exit lights

[shortckt70005]

in Hospitals, Do I need Battery Backup Exit lights if I have a generators? time frame of 7 seconds with no exit lights

 

[shortckt70005]

Joint Commission requires an annual test of 90 minutes on an Exit lights IF the Exit lights have Battery Backup. We have 3 Generators with Emergency Branch ATS's...Life Safety, Equipment and Critical. Its the 7 seconds with no Electricity that concerns me; not having any lights.

 

[Knuckle Dragger]

Unofficially My gut says yes. Reasoning if you lose the lighting circuit only you would still be in the dark and would not initiate the generator to fire up.

 

[roger]

in Hospitals, Do I need Battery Backup Exit lights if I have a generators? time frame of 7 seconds with no exit lights

Without a code book handy you will need battery units in OR'S and maybe triage rooms regardless of generator EPSS backup.

Shooting from the hip look at 517.45 or maybe .65

I will post the correct section later.

Roger

 

[shortckt70005]

More information:

Our OR's have Battery Pack Emergency lights in them that we test for 90 minutes. These lights are for the 7 seconds until Generator and Life Safety ATS swaps over. I am all for Testing Emergency system and making sure Life Safety lighting is available but Testing every Battery pack Exit fixture for 90 minutes seams overkill.

 

[roger]

It probably is overkill but Joint Commission's other name is Overkill. They will make the argument that if for some odd chance the Critical Branch lights in the OR's failed the the battery units will last long enough to stabilize the patient.

The article section I was referring to is 517.63

Roger

 

[ron]

700.12 says emergency lighting shall not to exceed 10 seconds. Other than the 517.63 mentioned, you are fine with the generator only.

 

[shortckt70005]

Thank you Knuckle Dragger, Roger and Ron for your responses