Pennsylvania Code › Title 34 - LABOR AND INDUSTRY › Part I - Department of Labor and Industry › Chapter 50 - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS-BUILDINGS › EMERGENCY LIGHTING SYSTEMS › Section 50.61 - General requirements

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 28, July 13, 2024
(a)
Approval.
All emergency lighting systems installed to provide
				  emergency illumination as required by this chapter shall be approved.
(b)
Location.
The emergency
				  source of energy for illumination shall be a device installed within the
				  building. Special permission may be granted by the Department to locate the
				  emergency lighting system on the premises when not located within the building.
				  The device shall be either an approved engine generator or approved battery
				  system.
(c)
Automatic
				  control.
The control of the emergency source shall be fully automatic
				  and not dependent upon the manual operation of any switch or device. The
				  emergency source shall supply power when a loss of normal source power occurs
				  on any phase or line to a panel serving an area requiring emergency lighting
				  due to breaker opening, fuse failure or removal, cable failure or similar
				  conditions.
(d)
Control
				  panel functional requirement.
Each emergency lighting system shall
				  include an approved control panel for area protection. The control panel shall
				  include low voltage sensing devices (three for three phase and one for one
				  phase systems) capable of detecting a reduction in normal source voltage to
				  approximately 80% of rated source voltage, coded visual indication of the space
				  experiencing the power failure and isolated means for activating the emergency
				  source. A break in any conductor feeding the control panel shall cause a
				  failure indication.
(e)
Control panel location.
The control panel shall be of an
				  approved type and shall be enclosed in a metal cabinet having a hinged door
				  equipped with an effective lock and catch. The visual indicators of a failure
				  shall be visible with or without opening the cabinet door. A nameplate affixed
				  to the door of the cabinet shall designate the equipment as the area protection
				  control panel. Suitable marking plates shall be provided at visual indicators
				  to enable field marking of areas protected. The control panel shall be securely
				  mounted in a clean dry location where it will be conspicuous and readily
				  accessible at all times. Nonlocking type over-current devices are acceptable in
				  all circuits to the control panel.
(f)
Full illumination within 15
				  seconds.
Emergency lighting systems shall provide full illumination
				  within 15 seconds after normal source power failure.
(g)
Nameplate.
Emergency
				  lighting systems shall be provided with a nameplate setting forth the name of
				  the manufacturer, model number, and such other details as may be specifically
				  mentioned in the special requirements for the different types of equipment. The
				  nameplate shall be securely fastened to the equipment and shall not be
				  removed.
(h)
Permissible
				  load.
The total connected emergency load shall not be greater than
				  that which the system is designed to carry for a period of 1 hour.
(i)
Connection with normal supply.
Except unit systems, emergency systems utilizing a device which makes
				  the system inoperative when the building is not occupied shall be connected so
				  that some of the normal circuits necessary for illumination, in each location
				  requiring emergency illumination, cannot be used unless the emergency source is
				  ready for use.
(j)
Switches.
No protective or disconnecting devices other than
				  the following shall be permitted to be installed in the emergency lighting
				  circuits:
(1) Panelboards for emergency
				  lighting distribution may contain circuit breakers, each of which shall be
				  equipped with a handle locking device to prevent unauthorized operation of the
				  breaker and disconnection of the circuit. The panelboards shall be clearly
				  marked with the legend "emergency lighting."
(2) Location disconnecting devices, such as
				  wall switches, designed to disconnect the emergency supply from rooms which are
				  not being used shall also disconnect the entire normal supply to the rooms, but
				  they may not cut off the emergency source from the hallways, stairways, ramps
				  and similar passageways leading to outside building exits.