# Suspended ceiling luminare safety support



## TTW (Sep 14, 2012)

Hi all,

Commercial building, Maine, United States, suspended ceiling. Standard 2x4 and 2x2 drop in light fixtures.

I am replacing / adding some. The old ones were chained or wired to supports other than the ceiling grid for safety. My Master is having me safety wire the ones I am replacing as well. Seems like a good idea to me in case of fire or earthquake or something. 

I am noticing that the new fixtures have 'ears' in the sheet metal of the fixture that are made to be bent out, and lock onto the ceiling grid. They still have holes for safety wiring as well. 

Are these ear thingies supposed to replace safety wiring?

:huh:

Also wondering what the code has to say about this...

Thanks!


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

TTW said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Commercial building, Maine, United States, suspended ceiling. Standard 2x4 and 2x2 drop in light fixtures.
> 
> ...


Some states Don't require those lights to be chained to the building.


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## smiley mcrib (Sep 25, 2011)

Depends on local codes. Those little tabs are called alligator clips and here we have to attach the grid and then run a self taper through the clip and grid.


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## Julius793 (Nov 29, 2011)

No, safety wire is a must where I live, so when the ceiling grid starts to fail people don't get hit with fixtures.


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## Hawkrod (Mar 19, 2012)

Julius793 said:


> No, safety wire is a must where I live, so when the ceiling grid starts to fail people don't get hit with fixtures.


Scariest thing I ever saw were my lights coming down like a snake. I was in Capitola CA about 5 miles from the epicenter of the Loma Prieta earthquake in '89 and when things started moving a light dropped out. They were all daisy chained and in the end, 60% of the lights in a 200,000 sq ft building were on the floor where hundreds of people had been when the shaking started. I wire and then crosswire now but back then it was an old building and we really didn't know any better.


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## raider1 (Jan 22, 2007)

Check with the local building department the seismic supports are a requirement from the building code for ceiling grids located in a high seismic design area.

Chris


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## manchestersparky (Mar 25, 2007)

The NEC states you are to fasten the fixture to the ceiling grid

*BUT ............................*

You best check with the local AHJ as this rule is varied widely depending on the jurisdiction !
My jurisdiction the fixture must be tied up to the structure and NOT screwed to the grid. The next jurisdiction to the south requires the fixtures be screwed to the grid.

The rule in my jurisdiction was put in place many years ago on the insistence of the fire marshal . They want the lights to stay up if they rip down the ceiling 

From the 2011 NEC Section 410.36(B)

*(B) Suspended Ceilings.​*​​​​Framing members of suspended ceiling systems used to support luminaires shall be securely fastened to each other and shall be securely attached to the building structure at appropriate intervals. Luminaires shall be securely fastened to the ceiling framing member by mechanical means such as bolts, screws, or rivets. Listed clips 
identified for use with the type of ceiling framing member(s) and luminaire(s) shall also be permitted.​


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## ed-flip (Feb 13, 2013)

California requires wires in opposite corners, and self tappers on the other 2 corners. technically the clips on the fixture are legal for support to the grid, but they would still require 2 support wires.


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## raider1 (Jan 22, 2007)

If you are following the CISCA (The Ceilings & Interior Systems Construction Association) Guideline for installing a suspended ceiling grid system in a seismic zones 3&4 then you must attach the luminaire to the grid and also use 2 independent wires connected to the structure above.

The reason that you must do both is that during a seismic event the ceiling will move and sway. If the luminaires are not attached to the grid they can actually tear the grid system apart. So the 2 wires run to the structure above will hold the luminaire up in case of failure of the grid system and the clips connecting the luminaire to the grip keep the luminare connected to the grid so it will not act independent and damage the grid in a seismic event.

The IBC drives the requirements that you must follow the CISCA guidelines when you are located in a seismic zone 3&4.

Chris


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## TTW (Sep 14, 2012)

Thanks for all of the great info.
The safety of firefighters makes a great deal of sense to me. Luckily we don't have much of an earthquake threat here in the Northeast.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

TTW said:


> Thanks for all of the great info.
> The safety of firefighters makes a great deal of sense to me. Luckily we don't have much of an earthquake threat here in the Northeast.


If you live on planet Earth, you have an earthquake threat. Just not as much of one as California or the PNW.

Here, we don't have much of a tornado problem but it still happens :blink:


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

ed-flip said:


> California requires wires in opposite corners, and self tappers on the other 2 corners. technically the clips on the fixture are legal for support to the grid, but they would still require 2 support wires.


Some areas are opposite corners for wires and all four corners with a self tapper....well, at least some inspectors.:laughing:


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

erics37 said:


> If you live on planet Earth, you have an earthquake threat. Just not as much of one as California or the PNW.


We have very few seismic requirements around me.


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