EXPLOSION PROOF LIGHTING?

[Kyell]

HELLO,
I am sending photos to assist in this question. Is the lighting in these photos explosion proof. I have under gone an ATF inspection the agent says, " these are not explosion proof..." They are original to the McDonald Douglas plant that was here and they stored missile ordnance here. My second question can I be required to renovate these lights when only small arms ammo is stored here? Even if the Code has changed should we be grandfathered in here?

Bob

 

[Kyell]

second photo

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Ammo storage is not a classified area and the NEC does not require explosionproof equipment. The original specifications probably did.
That equipment does appear to be suitable for Class I, Division 1 installations, but cannot be sure without being able to read the labels.

 

[Kyell]

Ammo storage is not a classified area and the NEC does not require explosionproof equipment. The original specifications probably did.
That equipment does appear to be suitable for Class I, Division 1 installations, but cannot be sure without being able to read the labels.

Don , I will acquire close up photos on Monday for a follow up. Thank you for your help.

 

[hillbilly1]

The light in the first picture appears to be vapor tight, not explosion proof, but the light in the second picture is explosion proof.

 

[rbalex]

I am citing the NEC 2023 Edition. In most cases, the relevant content (or at least the obvious intent) will exist elsewhere in previous NEC editions. The possible exception is Section 500.4, where currently, the area classification is required to be documented before design, installation, and inspection. This could be the lone “grandfather” application.

Has the location’s classification been appropriately documented? The next question becomes, “Why did the inspector believe the equipment needed to be explosionproof in the first place?” As a general rule, ordinance does not need to be classified. See Section 500.1(B)(3).

 

[Kyell]

Hello the ATF inspector, was here to certify the original ammo bunker built by McDonald Douglas, small arms ammo is to be stored here.
the inspector says "....the lighting is not up to code...and will have to be replaced to maintain certification..." I can not find anything NOT up to code.

thank you for your response

Bob

 

[brantmacga]

is it the specific type of ammo that is triggering explosion-proof? I built a firearms facility a couple years ago that was inspected by the ATF and no fixtures at all were required to be explosion proof. I have a friend that is currently building a firearms museum to house his personal collection with several tens of thousands of rounds being stored there as well, and ATF is not requiring any fixtures to be explosion-proof. That particular building is a former bank built in 1901, and I'm pretty sure he's using the basement with fluorescent strip lighting as the ammo storage room. Maybe reach out to the ATF field office and ask for another agents opinion.