Understanding Positive Attachment

Lighting fixtures in a suspended ceiling system are required to be "positively attached" to prevent fragmenting and dislodging in a seismic event and causing possible harm and injury to building occupants.

The requirements for Seismic restraint of lighting fixtures in suspended ceiling systems are prescribed by these codes:

• The Uniform Building Code 1997 (UBC)
• International Building code 2006 (IBC)
• California Building code 2007
  

• National Electrical Code 2006 (NEC)

The above codes all require the lighting fixture to have positive attachment to the suspended ceiling system.

However, the industry has largely misinterpreted the codes' intent for “Positive Attachment”.

In October 2002, the International Code Council addressed this misinterpretation with the development of a new acceptance criteria, AC 184 for "Attachment devices for Recessed Lighting Fixtures (Luminaires) in Suspended Ceiling Systems" to ensure that a minimum level of safety is provided to the building occupants as originally intended by the building codes.