Code Change Summary: New mechanical protection requirements were added for Class 2 lighting circuits fed from critical or life safety branch power in patient care spaces.

SME commentary: In the 2026 NEC^®, Section 517.80 was revised to address the growing use of Class 2 lighting systems supplied by critical or life safety branch power in healthcare facilities. The revision adds a specific requirement for mechanical protection of these Class 2 lighting circuits, a measure previously found in 700.11(D) for emergency systems but not explicitly referenced in Article 517. With the 2026 deletion of the Article 700 applicability statement in 517.26, the protection concepts previously aligned with 700.11(D) were restated within 517.80 to maintain consistent safeguards for life safety and patient care branch wiring.

This change reflects a broader recognition of how lighting technology is evolving within healthcare environments. Power over Ethernet (PoE) systems, which transmit both power and data over Class 2 circuits, are now being used to supply lighting in patient care spaces. Many of these systems are fed from the critical or life safety branches of the essential electrical system, meaning they serve functions directly tied to patient care and facility operation. Without the same physical protection requirements that apply to traditional wiring methods in these areas, PoE-based lighting circuits could be more susceptible to physical damage, reducing the overall reliability of the critical and life safety branches of the essential electrical system.

The revised 2026 NEC^® code language in 517.80 now requires Class 2 lighting circuit cabling fed from critical or life safety branches to comply with the mechanical protection requirements of Article 517. This includes the methods specified in 517.31(C)(3), which require wiring for life safety and critical branches to be protected by raceways. Two exceptions were added that align with similar exceptions in 700.11(D).

1. Wiring that does not exceed 6 feet in length and that terminates at a critical or life safety luminaire or an emergency lighting control device.

2. Cables located in locked rooms or enclosures accessible only to qualified persons.

By incorporating this mechanical protection requirement into Article 517, the Code language ensures consistent treatment of life safety and critical branch circuits, whether supplied by conventional wiring or by Class 2 PoE technology. This coordination maintains the high reliability and physical integrity expected of electrical systems serving patient care spaces, protecting both the equipment and the individuals who depend on it for life safety and critical operations.

Below is a preview of the NEC^®. See the actual NEC^® text at NFPA.ORG for the complete code section. Once there, click on their link to free access to the 2026 NEC^® edition of NFPA 70.

2023 Code Language:

517.80 Patient Care Spaces (in part).

Class 2 and Class 3 signaling and communications systems, Class 2 circuits that transmit power and data to a powered device, and power-limited fire alarm systems shall not be required to comply with the grounding requirements of 517.13, to comply with the mechanical protection requirements of 517.31(C)(3)(5), or to be enclosed in raceways, unless otherwise specified by Chapters 7 or 8.

2026 Code Language:

517.80 Patient Care Spaces (in part).

Class 2 and Class 3 signaling and communications systems, Class 2 circuits that transmit power and data to a powered device, and power-limited fire alarm systems shall not be required to comply with the grounding requirements of 517.13, to comply with the mechanical protection requirements of 517.31(C)(3)(5), or to be enclosed in raceways, unless otherwise specified by Chapters 7 or 8 or except as noted for critical and life safety branch powered circuits.

Class 2 lighting circuit cabling fed from critical or life safety branch power shall comply with the mechanical protection requirements of this article.

Exception No. 1: Mechanical protection requirements shall not apply to wiring that does not exceed 6 feet in length and that terminates at a critical or life safety luminaire or an emergency lighting control device.

Exception No. 2: Mechanical protection requirements shall not apply to locked rooms or locked enclosures that are accessible only to qualified persons.

Informational Note: Locked rooms accessible only to qualified persons include locked telecommunications rooms, locked electrical equipment rooms, or other access-controlled areas.