Emergency Egress Lighting

[steve66]

Here is the situation:

Egress corridors in a healthcare facility.

Each corridor is served by one branch circuit from the Life Safety Branch. The life safety circuit is served by a dedicated transfer switch and generator that complies with Article 700.

This one emergency branch circuit serves ALL the lighting in that particular corridor. There are not other lighting circuits in the corridors. No normal lighting circuits, no critical lighting circuits, no battery powered lights.

So for example, Corridor A is served by life safety branch circuit #1, Corridor B by life safety branch circuit #2, etc.

Does this comply with the requirements for egress lighting?

 

[steve66]

No comments at all on this?

I guess my concern was that if the one branch breaker serving a corridor tripped, or was shut off, that would leave an entire corridor in the dark. This could also happen if a panelboard main tripped.

I'm under the impression when you are using a generator as the emergency supply, 700.17 requires a general lilghting circuit, and a separate emergency circuit that is backed up by the generator.

The same problem just doesn't exist for battery backed up lights, since the battery packs are multiple, individual systems located at the point of use.

Anyone agree or disagree??

Steve

 

[benaround]

Steve,

I have done several jobs that have gen. backed up lighting circuits and in those circuits

there were battery backed up fixtures. I thought it was strange at the time, but it may

have been done that way for the reason you described. Two of the jobs were fire stations.

This may not be much help, but at least it is one post in return.

 

[cowboyjwc]

Are we talking about a healthcare facility or a hospital. You're required to have 1 foot candle of light at the floor for the entire path of egress even in a department store. If you are required to have two or more exits, you are also required to have exterior emergency lighting at the exits.

Here in CA we don't do hospitals so I don't know what the requirements are.

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

Beyond what NEC wants you best have chat with fire marshal. I think you may have issues with starting time of that gen.. What did the engineer spec ?