Older Healthcare Facilities Critical/Life Safety Separation

[maxpwr]

I have a project for a hospital in New York City that was designed and built in 1970, generally before any code, such as NEC Article 517 required separation of Life Safety and Critical power branches in a Healthcare facility.

I don't know how the New York City electrical code read in the years before about 2000 but I know that around the year 2000 they finally adopted the NEC and have adopted versions of the NEC ever since, with local amendments.

I am now presented with a remodel job on some upper floors of the existing hospital and do not have separation of Life Safety and Critical power into distinct panels/transfer switches/separation, etc.

I would be curious to learn how other engineers have dealt with this installation situation in the past.

Thank you.

 

[steve66]

I've handled it different ways, depending on the extent of the work being done. For the simplest projects, the single LS/Critical system was basically treated as being "Grandfathered" in. For more extensive projects, I've added an additional transfer switch and panel for new egress and exit lights.

I think you will have to consult with the local inspector, and the Dept. of Health to find out what will be required.

Steve