Emergency egress lighting

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bmcghee

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Gathering designer's experiences regarding single head exterior remote heads verses double head remote heads. 700.16 talks about the burning out of a lamp rendering a space in total darkness - is this intended to be applied to exterior exit discharges? If so, the single head unit wouldn't be code compliant and futhermore, they would rarely be sold - why build them? Similar issue - it seems common to put a remote head in a restroom, powered off an exit or emergency outside of the restroom. How can this be code compliant? Please only respond if you have addressed this on plan review or in a design - I'm needing fact-based info regarding this issue.
Thank you.
 
I have had to add "extra" remote heads on a project under construction to comply with the exterior egress head requirement. This was for an assisted living facility and wasn't caught until final inspection. :mad: I then provided a hefty change order to the EC on site. This is now something I make sure I design into the project to begin with; I was burned once, not giving it a second chance! :wink:

As for the remote heads in the restroom, I've never done it, or seen it done that way. I've always provided an independent emergency lighting unit. I can't think of why it wouldn't be permitted, but that definitely doesn't mean anything coming from me!

As for why single head remote fixtures are still being built ... manufacturers don't necessarily follow code enforcement. They will build them until we quit buying them.
 
As for the question concerning single head emergency lighting in the restrooms: Unless there are local amendments, I doubt the building code requires them in the restroom. The unamended IBC for example in most cases only requires emergency lighting in rooms with a calculated occupant load of more than 49. It would take a very large restroom to have a calculated occupant load of more than 49. If the building code does not require the emergency lighting in the restroom, then these fixtures are actually optional standby and 700.16 does not apply.
 
eprice said:
As for the question concerning single head emergency lighting in the restrooms: Unless there are local amendments, I doubt the building code requires them in the restroom. The unamended IBC for example in most cases only requires emergency lighting in rooms with a calculated occupant load of more than 49. It would take a very large restroom to have a calculated occupant load of more than 49. If the building code does not require the emergency lighting in the restroom, then these fixtures are actually optional standby and 700.16 does not apply.
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I'm not a building code expert, but I'm not sure that's quite the way the building code reads. I thought it said emergency lighting was required in "buildings that require 2 or more exits." (Which usually means more than 49 people)

But I'm pretty sure once you have a building with 50 people, the emergency lighting isn't limited to just rooms that have 50 people. Then I think you need emergency lighting in all exits, exit corridors, exit discharges, exit access corridors, etc. Exactly what all those things are, I could never figure out.

Steve
 
Here is the list from the 2006 IBC Section 1006.3 where you need emergency lighting:

1. Aisles and unenclosed egress stairways in rooms and spaces that require two or more means of egress.

2. Corridors, exit enclosures and exit passageways in buildings required to have two or more exits.

3. Exterior egress components at other than the level of exit discharge until exit discharge is accomplished for buildings required to have two or more exits.

4. Interior exit discharge elements, as permitted in Section 1024.1, in buildings required to have two or more exits.

5. Exterior landings, as required by Section 1008.1.5, for exit discharge doorways in buildings required to have two or more exits.

Note that all of the requirements except 1. kick in if the building requires two or more exits, but none of those regulate a restroom. Item 1. is the one that covers rooms and spaces such as a restroom, and that one only kicks in if the room requires two or more exits. Otherwise we would be required to have emergency lighting in every office in an office building if the building requires two or more exits.
 
bmcghee said:
Please only respond if you have addressed this on plan review or in a design - I'm needing fact-based info regarding this issue.
Thank you.
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I am going to respond anyway...thats just the way I am. ;)

One of the methods of using the single heads that is permitted, is to add them to E-ckts that have other heads. The heads are not required to be in one location, such as next to each other.
 
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