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Electrical Room Do's and Dont's...

B

bermudacaychic

Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2011
Messages
21
Location
Florida
I work at a condo where we have one electrical room per building. How can I find out what, if anything, can be stored in them? I can read the signs clearly posted inside and outside the room that clearly state "no storage allowed" but then I have read some responses that talk about "distance" from certain electrical things... I am assuming (?!?) that obvious things like paint and other types of chemicals or cleaners should definitely not be stored in there but what about brooms or drills or ladders? Any info greatly appreciated! :-|
 
Do we get to come for a visit in Bermuda if we get the right answer? Welcome to the board. I am sure you will hear from those more electrically inclined than me on the board.
 
First, Welcome!

Second, lets understand that Bermuda is a foreign country, and the first advice is always "Check with your local authority because the rules can vary".

IF your electrical rooms were in New York State, no combustible material can be stored in them.The "distance" means that there needs to be space in the room so electricians can safely remove panel covers and perform work inside and around the equipment.
 
Welcome to the forum! I would suggest that this is a question better posed directly to the facility maintenance staff, as they are the personnel that need access to the electrical equipment and panels. Really, as a rule, less is best..........once you start allowing "some" storage, it tends to multiply rapidly, then it's out of control. If you don't start down that path, it's better for personnel.
 
Well... thanks for the welcome! Let's just say the reason I am asking you all is because it IS my maintenance staff that is storing stuff in there! It's on the first floor so it makes it very convenient given that the other storage areas are on the 2,3 and 4th floors!! I'm trying to get some back up so that I can enforce my requests to remove anything that doesn't belong in there! I agree with the "some" stuff as that is the likely reason it's become a catch all room!
 
Thanks for the welcome and for moving my post! New to site and wasn't really familiar with where things go... so thanks! I've already gotten some responses!
 
Thanks very much! I wonder how come no one is replying to my other post about electric meters and breakers? Not exciting enough? And funny but your quote caused me to google that just to be sure what it meant...exactly!!!
 
If it's combustible materials being stored, you can site the fire code. I'm not sure about Florida....but the International Fire Code (Section 315.2.3) states: "Combustible material shall not be stored in boiler rooms, mechanical rooms or electrical equipment rooms".

I didn't see your other post......yet.

I'm glad you googled!!!
 
110.26(A) of the NEC has specific working space requirements for space in front of electrical equipment. The required space depends on one of three conditions. Also 110.26(B) states that the working space required by 110.26 can't be used for storage.

Chris
 
beach has the answer. If it is an electric room, there is no storage permitted. No need to worry about clearances.
 
& & & &

bermudacaychic,

Welcome to The Building Codes Forum! :cool:

Tim,

It sounds as though that "bermudacaychic" might be looking for documentation

to support a cause for changing the current Electric Room designation ( i.e. -

from Storage Room to an actual Electrical Room ).

& & & &
 
IFC 605.3.1 requires electric rooms to be labeled with a sign that says "ELECTRICAL ROOM"

I suppose if you placed a sign on the door that said "ELECTRICAL ROOM", you could not store anything in the room.

Being the supervisor I would think you just tell everybody how it is?

Worst case, I am sure the local fire official would be more than happy to support your position and/or take any flack for the designation.

Tim
 
May have to enforce it out of the IFC (which includes maintenance provisions of existing buildings), the IBC is a construction code. The NEC is JUST too confusing..
 
ok, mine don't look THAT bad but there are paint and cleaning supplies, ladders, extra materials and tools, in each of the 5 rooms. I'm going with the answer of NO storage at all, no matter how small or what it is! We have space to put some utility sheds on property and that's where the storage stuff is going to go! I supposed the rules for electrical rooms don't apply to dumpster rooms, too?
 
Not the case! It is a designated Electrical Room and there is signage to support that as well as signs inside and outside that state no storage allowed. I WANT everything out of the electrical rooms! I am not the maintenance supervisor's boss-I am onsite and I did make it clear that the electrical rooms needed to be cleaned out but that brought up the question of what, if anything, can be stored in those rooms.... I'm going to make the executive decision to not allow anything to be stored in those rooms-I just wanted to be able to show the guy that it's not me being ocd about cleanliness or organizational skills-that the code is the code!! So thanks for all the back up places I can use for resources...
 
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