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Egress from electrical equipment

R

retire09

Silver Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2010
Messages
365
Location
Alaska
Many large service panels have hinged doors that lock open perpendicular to the gear. With minimal working space provided, these doors can prevent escape from arching equipment.

I recall a requirement for a minimum 24" clearance around such doors but I can not find the code section.

Am I looking in the wrong book?

Help!!
 
Both the NEC and the IBC require that equipment rated at greater than 1200 amps have doors serving the room at least 24 inches in width that swing in the direction of travel as well as have panic hardware. Is this what you're looking for?
 
No. I'm looking for a requirement to have a minimum of 24" clearance to get around a metal door attached to the service equipment and held open without having to touch that door which may be energized.

If the equipment is aching and you have a door open on each side of you blocking your escape, what do you do?

If you can't get away from the gear without touching it, you can't get away.
 
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The depth of the working space(s) around these electrical components is

in Article 110.26(A)(1) & Table 110.26(A)(1), ...`08 NEC.

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"Do you feel these code sections clearly include the distance around an open door?"
Click to expand...
Yes!.......The minimum distance is 3 ft. from the front of the electrical equipment......Also, Article 110.26(A)(2)provides for a minimum of 30 inches of working space from each panel.......They can always have more working

clearance space, but in no case should there be any less than these listed minimums.



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My question is this:

The required clearance is 3 ft from the front of the equipment.

If the gear has a 3 ft door that latches in the open position perpendicular to the front of the equipment, is the working clearance now 6 ft from the front of the equipment? Is the front of the equipment now the edge of the open door?

I fully agree with this application and interpretation, but I do not feel these code sections clearly express that requirement.
 
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From the `08 NEC, Article 110.26(A)(2): " ...In all cases, the working space must be

of sufficient width, depth and height to permit all equipment doors to open 90

degrees......I agree that the wording in ambiguous [ in the NEC ].

The working space is measured [ typically ] to the front of the equipment and not

to an open panel door [ <--- from Article 110.26(A)(1) ].

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I think it would be a stretch to call the working space from the front edge of the open door. I understand your concern, but don't think you can get the from working clearances. JMHO
 
Greetings all,

In all of my years as a master electrician I have never heard of requiring measuring the clearance from the front of the door swing. I wouldn't go to the witness stand with that interpretation of the NEC or IBC.

BS
 
Is this egress clearance around the open door not an obvious safety need that should be required regardless of how the code actually reads?

I feel that requiring this will absolutely meet the purpose and intent of the code and not to require it would fail to meet the intent.

Do we make it safe and functional or just compliant to the book as written?
 
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Absolutely, ..."safe and functional" !



From [ `08 NEC ] Article 90.1 - Purpose: The purpose of this Code is the practical

safeguarding of persons and property from hazards arising from the use of

electricity.

Are you the AHJ, ...designer, ...other?.....Your scenario seems like a no-brainer to me...

increase the working clearance.....Width & depth!

& &
 
Article 110 Part II addresses the means of entrance and egress for an electrical room. In electrical rooms more than 6 ft wide with equipment rated 1,200 amps and above, there must be one means of egress at each end of the room. The doors must be a minimum of 2 ft wide and 6.5 ft high. The doors should swing out of the room and have panic hardware

RTEmagicC_CSE1103FPROTECT_FIG5_01_txdam4408_546d08.jpg.jpg
 
I am the AHJ and I communicated this requirement before I posted the question.

I just wanted to know that I was not alone in my thinking.

This is not the first or the last time I will be accused of enforcing what I want instead of what the code says.

Thanks for the help.
 
let's not forget to remind those that squeak the loudest, that the code is a minimum standard. so many contractors freak when asked simply to "comply with the code", and asking for more can often times be a red herring, however, it is, at a starting point, a minimum standard. "professional contractors" need to get a clue!
 
retire09 said:
I am the AHJ and I communicated this requirement before I posted the question.I just wanted to know that I was not alone in my thinking.

This is not the first or the last time I will be accused of enforcing what I want instead of what the code says.

Thanks for the help.
Click to expand...
but does this go outside the scope of your office?
 
I'm with GPE, sorry. I want safe installations, but creating code on the fly doesn't work with me. If you end up with your Board of Appeals, I think you will be on the losing end. JMHO
 
I see this very simply as being the right thing to do. This just makes sense to me.

If I'm over ruled; at least I tried.

I don't always win but I do always try.

Thanks
 
110.26 Spaces About Electrical Equipment.

Sufficient access and working space shall be provided and maintained about all electrical equipment to permit ready and safe operation and maintenance of such equipment.

You can't store a mop bucket in the electrical room because that would impede access but an equipment door that blocks the exit access at the critical moment is legal? The code doesn't require two exits until 1200 amps. Is a 1000 amp service with one exit access, that can be blocked by an equipment door, sufficient and safe? I don't think so and 110.26 provides a remedy.

You don't want to become http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGZf9XeR7O0&NR=1
 
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I believe that the have tried to address the issue and the intent is there in 110.26(A)(1) in referencing the depth to open panel to 90 Degrees an 110.33 entrance to enclosures and access to working space by giving the 24 wide by 6 and1/2 feet and then using 110.33(1)(a) unobstructed exit. If they were to be combined the intent would be to have a clear unobstructed path from the edge of the equipment panel to the exit door with panic hardware.
 
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