emergency lighting

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Re: emergency lighting

George,

I would not have all the codes I do unless I needed them as an inspector. They can get pricey!

Ryan,
Let's suppose we have a typical retail space in a strip shopping center. The size that does not require 2 exits. It has one door at the front only. This store has tall shelves that form the aisles and they also have a show window in the front that closes off any available natural light. Would you say this store requires EM lighting and exit sign?
 
Re: emergency lighting

No, it would not require exit signs or emergancy lighting. You would also have to take into account travel distance and common path of egress travel to determine whether or not you need two exits though.

Remember you are talking about a mercantile occupancy. The occupant load factor for group M is 30 gross. That means that you would need two exits at 1,500 sqaure feet, which is pretty small.
 
Re: emergency lighting

I agree with Ryan, if the store only requires one exit, it won't need either exit signs or emergency lighting. In the area I work, the 2003 IBC has been adopted, and SECTION 1011.1 exception 1 says Exit signs are not required in rooms or areas which require only one exit or exit access. And obviously in debate, 1006.3 specifies the areas that must have illumination in case of a power failure. Each of those instances are based on two or more exits.
Jim T
 
Re: emergency lighting

Jim T and Ryan,

Thanks for shedding light (a pun) on this subject of EM lighting. There has been a long standing debate among several new inspectors that were divided into two camps. After much reading and reference material review and the results of your explanations here, the two camps are now one! As it turns out, the older code's wording was not as clear and many had a hard time changing their thinking. Glad you two spoke up!

Thanks for both of your inputs and patients!
 
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