Thread: Panel in "Utility Room" ...sorta...

In the utility room there is a sink, washer, dryer, and a broom closet.

Inside of the broom closet is where the service equipment is located.

When the broom closet door is closed, there is only 1ft of clearance from the panel. Naturally, if the door is open then you have > 3ft clearance to the panel. Also, there are shelves off to the left of the panel (about 2 ft or so) where storage items, bottles, chemicals are stored in the closet.

I can't locate anything in the code to say this set up is wrong but wanted to double check with everyone. Or do you disagree?

Brian.

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When the door to the broom closet was open, how wide was the clear space from jamb to door?

Most likely a door to a broom closest would not be wide enough to give the minimum required 30" clearance.

The next consideration is what is kept in the closet and where it is kept. NOTHING is allowed to be stored in front of the panel in the required working space, and, overcurrent devices are not allowed where easily ignitable material is kept (and the codes says "such as" clothes closets, but that does not limit the not allowed locations to "just" clothes closets, but also includes areas where easily ignitable material is stored "such as" that which is stored in clothes closets).

The width and depth of the required working (clear width and depth, no storage allowed) is 30" wide by 36" in front of the panel, and if the door was open and provided that minimum 30", then the code would not prohibit that location, even though that location is not one which makes common sense as one "knows" that storage will be kept in front of the panel, among other reasons.