Clearances for large gear

[GerryB]

I have a 13.8 penthouse switchgear room stepped down, probably for the elevators, HVAC, etc. The clearance behind the gear is about 30 inches so I assume there are no live serviceable parts back there. It is a large room, has one double door and a single door. You can walk completely around the gear, at least 4.5 feet at each end.
The engineers want to add a section of gear at one end. This would close off that end and you would not be able to walk around it. (This is also the end closest to the double doors.) Would this be a means of egress or some other violation? There are some digital monitors or readers back there that may need looking at, so someone could be in the back corner with only one way out to the front of the gear where the doors are.

 

[RWC/NC.]

Gerry in your above posting, I'd also assume nothing serviceable (30 inches) on back of the large equipment. But reading your posting discription (several times) it implies that both means of egress, (single door & double doors) are accessible from the front of equipment working space(?).

 

[GerryB]

Yes, both doors accessible from the front. I believe I found the answer. This gear actually could have been installed closer to the wall because there is nothing serviceable in the back, so no issue to add a section on the one end.

 

[Jraef]

... There are some digital monitors or readers back there that may need looking at, so someone could be in the back corner with only one way out to the front of the gear where the doors are.

This is the part that concerns me too. That space behind the gear is no longer an "unobstructed way of egress" Also, if any of those devices needed to be replaced or serviced, even if they are in a LV compartment sealed off from the MV, 30" is not enough clearance.