thermal protection of egress lighting

[elohr46]

2008 NEC, art.410.130(E)(4) egress luminaires. A ballast in a flourescent luminaire that is used for egress lighting and energized only during a failure of the normal supply shall not have thermal protection.

situation: high school gymnasium, fixtures have 8 triple tube lamps, 2 per ballast, 4 ballasts. one ballast to be used for egress lighting via emg. generator system, that ballast shall not have thermal protection according to the above article. thoughts?

 

[Eastham11]

As long as that ballast is only being used during a power failure. If the intent is to use the lamps during normal operation, it doesn't meet the criteria of this code section.