Emergency Lights in Hospital room

[mshields]

I've inherited a project that has in each hospital room (general care), a down light in the room on the Critical branch and a night light at the door on the LS branch.

Client wanted to get rid of all of the bypass relays associated with these lights. I told him we could do it on the Critical circuits as these were not means of egress fixtures but I told him NO for the LS lighting as these must come on in the event of a power failure.

Now he's asking if we can switch these night lights to the critical branch such that we can eliminate the bypass relays.

This raises the question; is LS lighting even required in a hospital room. I don't believe it is. But would appreciate your input should I be overlooking something.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Mike01]

Bltc

Bltc

you can keep them on life safety and still switch them look at a company called Nine24, or even Bodine, or I believe wattstopper they make products that upon faliure of the normal power the switch position is bypassed and the lights come on regardless of the switch position it is typiclly refered to a ballast load transfer device. I would be cautios about re-circuiting to a critial circuit if this fixture is utilized for emergency egress lighting and it is re-connected to a critical circuit you may be in violation of multiple parts of the Code.

http://arckeeper.com/downloads/install/GTD.inst.(std).70100008.pdf

 

[mshields]

Thanks for the input Mike

Thanks for the input Mike

I guess I could put them on Bodine ballast as an alternative to a bypass relay. But what I really want to know is whether or not these fixtures ever needed to be on life safety to begin with. I don't believe that they do. I don't see anywhere in NEC 517 or NFPA 101 that requires emergency lighting in a hospital room. The cooridor outside of that room sure, but not in the room itself.

That's what I'm looking for validation on. Am I missing something on that?

Mike

 

[steve66]

I can't think of any code that requires them, and I've never put LS lights in a patient room. But that doesn't mean they aren't required in your area.

Hospitals are usually more of a "defend in place" type of occupancy.