By Healthcare Facilities Today

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has dropped a requirement for adding an indicator light on each receptacle on emergency power.

The requirement, which was to be added to NFPA 70: National Electric Code, would have mandated an illuminated face or indicator light to show the receptacle was powered. The requirement was overturned on appeal by the NFPA Standards Council. It would have affected non-locking, 125 V, and 15- and 20-amp receptacles.

The electrical systems committee of NFPA 99: Health Care Facilities Code had previously considered a similar proposal on indicator lights and rejected the idea. The reason, according to Chad Beebe, director of codes and standards for the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE), is that there was not enough technical evidence to demonstrate that there is a problem that indicator lights would have solved.

The reason the appeal was granted, according to Beebe, is that the indicator light is under the jurisdiction of NFPA 99: Health Care Facilities Code as a performance issue, rather than being an installation issue under the jurisdiction of NFPA 70.

ASHE members actively opposed the requirement. The appeal was filed by Walt Vernon, chair of NFPA 99 electrical systems committee and an ASHE. And a group of ASHE members testified against the requirement before the NFPA Standards Council.

ASHE estimates that the requirement would have added $3 or $4 to the cost of each receptacle.