Had a job they ran duct work over the panels. Inspector said move it or frame it in and rock it, which is what they did.
That may have been an easy way out, but not all AHJ will see boxing something in as being the structural ceiling, said box certainly doesn't provide any structural support function, it is just enclosing something.
So, the pipe can be 'in front of the panels footprint ' but not directly over them ?
So, the plumber can simply move the pipe 4 inches to place it in front of the footprint?
That gets it out of the dedicated space, but it possibly puts it into the required workspace instead.
Yes, I have 9 ft ceiling, the pipe is in the floor joist area above, so I have 9 feet standing room in front of the panel. I was thinking that in past jobs we've had water supply lines and drain lines above but just barely beyond the front of the panel covers plane and the inspectors ok'd them.
That is compliant with the code. If you can stand in the working space and have 6.5 feet of headroom, then it is acceptable for a pipe or duct to be over your head. However, if the pipe or duct is directly above the panel, then (1) it has to be at least 6 feet higher than the top of the panel (not likely in a room with a 9 foot ceiling) and (2) there has to be a drip shield between the pipe/duct and the top of the panel.
It can be within the structural ceiling and be less than 6 feet above the panel.
Dropped ceiling is never a structural ceiling. If you can remove it and the roof or floor above isn't compromised by such removal it is not a structural ceiling.
Typical "suspended ceiling" yes not to many will disagree is not a structural item. But other "hard ceilings" that are not contributing anything to the main structural support aren't structural members either. They aren't designed to carry much of anything but the ceiling hanging from them.
