Smurf Tubing and "Subject to Damage"

[sroc2006]

We are working on an ancient building and have installed smurf tubing in some areas of the unfinished basement. Instead of drilling the floor joists and wrestling the tubing, we have securely fastened this to the floor joists. I had someone try to tell me this is not permissible because it is "Subject To Damage". This was not an inspector that told me this, but this person told me that the "subject to damage" is that someone could grab onto it and pull it down. I countered by telling him that someone could grab onto it and pull it even if the joists were drilled...or even if it were EMT conduit. Hell, under his definition I guess we can't install porcelain lights either because someone may grab onto them and pull them down. Let me know your thoughts on this.

 

[dnem]

Re: Smurf Tubing and "Subject to Damage"

We are working on an ancient building and have installed smurf tubing in some areas of the unfinished basement. Instead of drilling the floor joists and wrestling the tubing, we have securely fastened this to the floor joists. I had someone try to tell me this is not permissible because it is "Subject To Damage". This was not an inspector that told me this, but this person told me that the "subject to damage" is that someone could grab onto it and pull it down. I countered by telling him that someone could grab onto it and pull it even if the joists were drilled...or even if it were EMT conduit. Hell, under his definition I guess we can't install porcelain lights either because someone may grab onto them and pull them down. Let me know your thoughts on this.

The "subject to physical damage" wording of 362.12(10) is a judgment call but that doesn't mean that there isn't any information to go by.

300.4(A),(B),(C),&(E) all refer to concealed work but 300.4(D) applies to "both exposed & concealed locations". It doesn't restrict surface mounted smurf tube and even provides a exception from steel barriers if the ENT must be closer than 1 1/4" from framing members in 300.4(D)X1.
The whole wording of 300.4(D) shows that the focus of smurf tube surface mounted to framing members is not people hanging on the run. The focus is on protection from nails and screws.

If smurf tube was surface mounted low on the wall in an area like a garage, the focus on physical damage might then be that it could be struck and broken.

David