The voltage and amperage thresholds that determine which rooms require panic hardware were changed in the 2017 edition of this code.
Electrical room exit door requirements.
Doors must swing in the direction of exit travel when.
Locating electrical rooms next to these especially if placed between should be carefully evaluated to ensure there is enough space and flexibility for conduits.
Used in an exit enclosure or where serving a high hazard area.
Outside of working and dedicated space needs there are many special considerations for electrical rooms that depend on building programs as well as exterior.
A side hinged door must be used to connect any room to an exit route.
A while back i wrote an article for doors hardware about panic hardware requirements for rooms housing electrical equipment.
Again there are exceptions depending upon the nfpa 101 occupancy classification.
1910 36 e 2 the door that connects any room to an exit route must swing out in the direction of exit travel if the room is designed to be occupied by more than 50 people or if the room is a high hazard area i e.
Electrical rooms are very important for building operation providing a hub to supply electrical power for equipment.
Serving a room or area with an occupant load of 50 or more.
The rule of thumb is panic hardware is required if the room has equipment with more than 600 volts or more than 800 amps previously 1200 amps or if it s a battery room.
These rooms also contain key protection systems and in larger installations they often include transformers the main advantage of a well designed electrical room is providing a central location where technical staff members can manage and service building power systems.
Contains contents that are likely to burn with extreme.