I am currently inspecting an 11 story building with 3 bus ducts being fed from the main gear. There are 2 2000a and 1 1600a bus ducts running through each of the small electric rooms on each floor. My interpretation of 110.26(c)(3) is that because of the size of the equipment contained in the room and the fact that each of the panels in that room will be fed from a disconnect plugged into the bus duct and the space is less than 25 ft from the doors (actual distance is less than 5 ft) the doors should be equipped with panic hardware and open in the direction of egress. The electrical engineer has responded by phone citing article 368 which covers busways, but in his opinion does not refer back to 110.26 and that the bus ducts do not contain OCP devices, switches, etc. I would appreciate some outside opinions on the interpretation.
Working Clearance
- Thread starter sparky984
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ivsenroute
Senior Member
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- Florida
Since the room will not connect OCP devices, switches, etc. I do not believe that either 110.26(c)(2) or (3) or applies
- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrical Engineer
A busway does not, by itself, require working clearance at all. That is because it does not require maintenance while energized. The disconnect switch that is attached to the busway is addressed in 368. It can be well over a person's head, so long as it can be operated with a rope or chain or pole.
So the question of whether panic hardware is needed will depend on the ratings of the panels within the electric rooms. Would I be correct in guessing that none of them is rated 1200 amps or higher? If so, you don't need the door to the room to open outwards, and you don't need panic hardware.
I think a key to understanding the issue here is that the busway does not "contain" overcurrent devices. They are mounted on the busway, but are external to it. So the wording of 110.26(C)(2) does not apply.
So the question of whether panic hardware is needed will depend on the ratings of the panels within the electric rooms. Would I be correct in guessing that none of them is rated 1200 amps or higher? If so, you don't need the door to the room to open outwards, and you don't need panic hardware.
I think a key to understanding the issue here is that the busway does not "contain" overcurrent devices. They are mounted on the busway, but are external to it. So the wording of 110.26(C)(2) does not apply.
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