Fan Terminal Unit Access Panel Clearance Requirement

[faresos]

It was brought to my attention that some of the FTUs are installed above the ceiling close to walls and/or piping but it's not blocking the 18" clearance requirement for the control panel door swing. The unit is operating at 480V. Is the code requires to maintain 42" clearance in front of the control panel or there is an exception in the code where it waives this requirement as long it's accessible?

Thanks,

 

[petersonra]

I think you should look closely at what 110.26 says about it.

My opinion is that this type of equipment is "likely to require examination, adjustment, servicing, or maintenance while energized" because eventually it is going to fail and need to be debugged which can only be done live in most cases.

But this observation would also apply to virtually all electrical equipment.

The code makers need to stop writing vague code like this that violates a lot of what has been safely done for decades.

 

[faresos]

I agree the code is kind of vague on this issue. My thinking is the person is not going to be standing on the grid ceiling and obviously he/she will be standing on a ladder between the ceiling grid which pretty much limit their movement some how below the grid.