Emergency lighting

Chapter 3 of NFPA 101 code output defines access as "The portion of the means of egress that leads to a solution." This includes virtually all parts of the floors of a building. For the purposes of installing emergency lighting, no clutch, the Section 7.9.1.2. It provides that the exit port includes "only the stairs, hallways, corridors, ramps, escalators and designated passages that lead to a solution." This means that, although it is not necessary that every office should have emergency lighting, the corridor is outside itself it must count on it. While emergency lighting in the services is not required, you should evaluate each individual situation. For example, emergency lighting may be beneficial in large service establishments for public gatherings where alcoholic beverages, where the occupants may be unfamiliar with the area and where services could accumulate many people are served regularly.

The NFPA 101 code provides that the emergency lighting should be automatically activated in case of failure of the utility; Opening of a single circuit breaker or fuse; and a manual act, including the accidental opening of a switch that controls the normal lighting of the facility. Unfortunately, the lighting could not be activated in the latter two cases. If a single circuit breaker supplying the lighting in a stairway or corridor, for example, to switch off the ladder that one or broker is-laugh in the dark. And if the building was supplied by a generator, the generator switch over would not notice the dark stairs or corridor and therefore would not operate. This problem can be solved using light enough to supply a candle on the floor with an individual circuit breaker foot, which two circuit-breakers should be turned off before the ladder left in total darkness. The same applies if the lights in an area are controlled by a single switch. Dispose of lighting circuit switch individually or in a circuit without switch would be acceptable. Another area that is usually overlooked is also the exit discharge. The lights outside the building where required exit doors open, must be within the emergency circuit or have a battery backup for cases in which the building required emergency lighting. Emergency lights battery are acceptable in combination with a generator, but must come from the area lighting circuit. We've all seen situations where the circuit breaker for the emergency lighting supplied from a power outlet is turned off but the outlet circuit still has energy to the battery-operated light not active. Properly install emergency lighting requires knowledge of code requirements and careful review of the installation of emergency lighting. And, of course, acceptance thorough assessment is critical to ensure that the emergency lighting system to function properly once installed.

Chip Carson is the owner and president of Carson Associates, Inc. in Warrenton, Virginia. Also I have is a board member of the NFPA.

By Chip Carson, P.E.