4.-pautas para diseños proyectos segun nfpa 99 richard miller article

8/11/2019 4.-Pautas Para Diseos Proyectos Segun Nfpa 99 Richard Miller Article

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Plumbing Systems & Design

NOVEMBER 2007 PSDMAGAZINE

In this article, I intend to help enhance the knowledgeof plumbing engineers, designers, installers, and con-tractors regarding the management of the construction,installation, and verification of medical gas delivery sys-tems. I will start at the design phase of a project and moveto the actual installation of the medical gas system. TenI will cover the inspection and testing to be performed bythe contracting installer. Finally, I will address the verifi-cation process through release of the system to the ownerfor patient use.

The Design PhaseDuring the early design phase, you will spend consid-erable time consulting with the various manufacturersof medical gas equipment to obtain their advice on theequipment available for the specific needs of the proj-ect. op-line manufacturers also can provide a wealthof information on topics ranging from sizing and flowrequirements to colors and textures that best suit theowners tastes. Te American Institute of Architects(www.aia.org) has developed and published an excel-lent document titled Guidelines for Design and Construc-tion of Healthcare Facilities. Tis guide is a good sourceof information and is quite useful in determining the

recommended number of outlets and inlets for specificpatient areas. I consider the AIA Guidelinesa must-haveaddition to any designers toolkit. (Tis document maybe a required reference by some state agencies and TeJoint Commission.)

When working with medical gas delivery systemdesign, NFPA 99: Standard for Healthcare Facilities is themost important document to reference. Tis consensusstandard is developed by the National Fire ProtectionAssociation (www.nfpa.org) and has been adopted intolaw in all 50 states and many foreign countries. While itis true that all states do not immediately update to the

most recent version of the standard, it is best to upgrayour design criteria as soon as possible. Under the chmanship of David Mohile, the dedicated members of technical Committee on Piping Systems see to it ththe document is updated every three years. Tis comitment ensures that the public has continual accessleading-edge code information on the various life suport systems. Tis document is essential in determinthe type, number, and locations of required equipmsuch as source systems, master alarms, area alarms, azone valves. NFPA 99 details the requirements plac

on all participants in a medical gas project, from desiinstallation, and inspection to testing and verificatiTe document also contains information of relevancethe end user. Understanding the definitions and requiments of this document will carry you a long way all of your healthcare projects. I recommend you mayourself familiar with and utilize the most recent versavailable. Te 2005 version is the edition in current pulication, but the echnical Committee is already hardwork on the next edition. NFPA 99 covers all of the mimum design criteria required by law, and a thorouworking knowledge can help prevent most, if not problems found during construction and after comption of a project.

Due to the criticality of the medical gas systems intrity to the life safety of patients, peer review of the desby an independent medical gas expert is always a goidea. Adding an alarm or some missed valves or relocata zone valve at the end of a project can cost tens of thosands of dollars. Tis amount is multiplied dramaticallthe facilitys opening is delayed due to a failed inspecticaused by incorrectly installed piping or equipmentdocument review for code applicability can cost as litas $1,000. Some verification companies will perform

By Richard L. Miller, CMGV

Inspection,

Testing,and

Certifcation

of

Medical GasDelivery

Systems


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review gratis if they are specified on the project. On manyprojects, the verifier is called in for the first time at theend of the project, when the walls are already closed andbuilding managers are anxious to open the facility. How-ever, this is not the ideal time to identify problems. Equip-ment required for a medical gas pipeline system usually

has to be ordered, and depending on the item, the delayto opening the facility could be substantial. By consultingwith a company that deals specifically with medical gassystems regularly, all parties involved in the project canavoid costly delays and inconvenience.

Design Specifcation

When the medical gas system design is released for bid,the number one tool available at this stage is your designspecification. It is time to pull out that old document,blow off the dust, and check to see what you really haverequired. If you notice a reference to NFPA 56F: Standard

for Nonflammable Medical Gas Systems (a 20-year-olddocument), you know that now is a good time to update

your specs. A good place to focus your efforts is foundunder the Extent (or Summary) of Work section of yourspecification.

For example, the following general notes are a goodstarting point:A. Tis section pertains to all labor, materials, equip-

ment, and services necessary for and incidental to the[oxygen, medical air, medical surgical vacuum, nitro-gen, nitrous oxide, helium, carbon dioxide] systemsas shown on the drawings and specified herein.

B. Provide source equipment, alarms, valves, outlets andinlets, piping and fittings, gauges, and all associated

components and materials required for complete sys-tems as shown on the drawings, specifications, andmanufacturers instructions as listed herein.

C. If the bulk oxygen system is supplied and installedby the owner, this contractor shall be responsible forall piping from the bulk pad and the alarm pressureswitches to the facilitys master alarm panels.

D. Contractor shall make all necessary connections toowner-furnished equipment.

E. Install all piping as shown on drawings, as describedherein, and as described in NFPA 99, ASSE 6010, andSection 15010Basic Mechanical Requirements,

using materials and methods of fabrication, grading,testing, repairing, cleaning, and other procedures asdescribed.

F. High-voltage electrical wiring for ceiling columns,alarms, vacuum pump, air compressor, manifolds,and modular accessories associated with the systemsshall be part of the electrical contract. Any equipmentsupplied by the mechanical/plumbing contractorthat requires additional electrical services other thanthe specified products shall be the responsibility ofthe mechanical/plumbing contractor to supply theseservices.

G. Retain qualified installers (ASSE 6010 qualified) asspecified and per NFPA 99 (2005). Te installing com-pany shall be pre-qualified.

H. Retain a qualified third-party verifier (MGPHOcredentialed and ASSE 6030 qualified) as specifiedherein and per NFPA 99 (2005). Te verifier shall be

acceptable to the engineer and owner to perform andattest to final verification of the systems. If items orareas of nonconformance are noted, the installer ormanufacturer shall make corrections as required, andthe verifier shall periodically check with the contrac-tor during installation of the pipeline systems equip-ment and perform additional testing if necessary toattain acceptable certification. Refer to the allowancefor retesting of nonconformance items or areas. Teverification company shall be preapproved equal.

I. Related work and materials are specified in Section15010Basic Mechanical Requirements and othersections of this division.

J. Finished medical gas and vacuum systems shallbe complete, fully tested, compliant with NFPA 99(2005) in every material respect, and ready to be putinto operation. All materials used shall be new andcomply with NFPA 99 (2005) requirements for mate-rials, and workmanship shall be first class in everyrespect. Contractor shall be responsible for compli-ance with all local, state, or federal codes.

K. Manufacturer shall have a product specialist avail-able to periodically check with the contractor duringinstallation of the pipeline systems equipment anda separate service organization (as part of the same

manufacturers company, verification company, orpre-qualified) to start up the systems and provideongoing service support to the facility after turnover tothe owner. Te service center shall be pre-qualified.

Your specification also should clearly define the cre-dentialing requirements for American Society of SanitaryEngineering (ASSE) 6010 medical gas system installers,ASSE 6015 bulk medical gas system installers, ASSE 6020medical gas system inspectors, and ASSE 6030 medicalgas verifiers.

Wait a minute, some of you are saying. What is thisASSE 6000: Professional Qualifications Standard for Med-ical Gas Systems Personnel? Actually, it is one of the besttools that has been provided to our profession in years.Many existing specifications address skill sets of the vari-ous trades by using words like qualified, competent, orexperienced. All of these qualifiers are vague and defyquantification, and this type of language is not enforce-able. In some cases, companies started projects with onelicensed tradesman in each discipline and then hiredanyone they could find to perform the work. Te paceof construction we are experiencing these days does notallow us the luxury of time to redo substandard work.Normally, the only way to rectify improperly installed


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medical gas piping is to replace it, a costly and laboriousprocess to which no one would look forward.

Under the direction of Shannon Corcoran, ASSE (www.asse-plumbing.org), with the help of a very experiencedand dedicated working group, has developed a stan-dardized set of professional qualifications for installers,

inspectors, and verifiers of medical gas delivery systems.Your specification can require all installers, inspec-tors, and verifiers of medical gas delivery systems onyour project to hold a credential meeting the minimumrequirements of ASSE 6000. You now have available somevery specific quality control procedures that govern theinstallers, inspectors, and verifiers of these vital life sup-port systems, which may help you hear fewer commentssuch as I only did what was on the plans or We werejust doing the best we knew how.

When we teach and credential people to national stan-dards, we help develop partners in the process. NFPA 99requires all installers and verifiers to obtain ASSE 6000

series training and credentialing. Courses are availablenationwide. Another partner that should be involvedmuch earlier in the process is a Medical Gas ProfessionalHealthcare Organization (MGPHO [www.mgpho.org])Credentialed Medical Gas Verifier (CMGV [more on thislater in the article]).

The Inspection Phase

Lets move on to the inspection phase. When shouldit start? At a certain percentage of completion? A betterplace would be to start this process at the constructionkickoff meetings. Tis is the time to involve your partnersand to set some ground rules to help define individual

responsibilities.I might be biased because I am a medical gas systeminspector and verifier, but involving someone with manyyears of experience in medical gas system applications atthe initial stages of a project can be quite useful. When itcomes to inspections, the ASSE 6020 standard addressesthe qualifications of a medical gas system inspector.Many designers and project managers have been attend-ing medical gas inspector seminars to enhance theirunderstanding of the inspection and code process.

Te NFPA 99 standard is also quite useful in guidingyou through some of the administrative requirements,such as the requirement for a log book containing site

observation records and test results. est and inspec-tion reports are required as the project progresses. Teinspector shall personally witness the various tests andrecord the results of the tests performed by the installer.Te medical gas inspector shall confirm that propermaterials and joining methods are used, materials andsupports are properly handled and installed, and thecorrect purge procedure and appropriate labeling andidentification are used. Te inspector also will verify thatthe appropriate documents are maintained on the job-site. Some of these include: Building permits

Shop drawings

Manufacturers literature and test documentation

Cleaned for oxygen service documentation on tuband fittings

Brazing qualification records and brazing alloy docmentation

est gas purity

Brazing procedure specification and brazer performance qualification records

Finally, you should have copies of the credentials aliability insurance for all ASSE 6010 installers, ASSE 60bulk gas installers, ASSE 6020 inspectors, and ASSE 60verifiers.

On-site inspections also should include visual insption of brazed joints and a random sampling of copleted joints (destructive testing). Te following contrtor-required tests should be witnessed and thorougdocumented:

Initial blow down Initial pressure test

Cross-connection tests

Standing pressure tests (24-hour)

Final purge tests

At this point, the work should be ready for final vercation.

Verifcation

It is now time for the verifier of record to perform magic. Wait a minute, magic? What is it exactly that verifier is supposed to do? Is anybody really sure, beyo

the fact that they are supposed to perform some kindtest and develop a document that states that the systeare okay?

NFPA 99 (2005) Section 5.1.12.1.1 very clearly spells owhat is required of the verifier. Inspection and testshall be performed on all new piped gas systems, adtions, renovations, temporary installations, or repairsystems to assure the facility, by a documented produre, that all applicable provisions of the document hbeen adhered to and system integrity has been achievor maintained.

Wow, that paragraph is really a mouthful, but mandate is quite clear: the verifier is to inspect, test, a

develop a document that proves that the installatimeets all current code requirements and that it is sand ready for patient use. I think that is a rather laresponsibilitykind of like what designers must live to every day. So where do you find somebody with tknowledge and experience to participate in your prect?

Historically, you accepted whomever the mechanicontractor wanted to use (isnt that a conflict of intest?), or in many cases, the medical gas certifier whired independently by the hospital or general contrtor. Now, however, the ASSE standard works for you

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COVER FEATURE: INSPECTION, TESTING, ANDCERTIFICATION OF

MEDICAL GAS DELIVERY SYSTEMS


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this area as well. If you require the verifier to meet therequirements for an ASSE 6030 or an MGPHO CMGV,you have taken a step in the right direction.

At this time, I want to explain more about MGPHO,which is a professional group dedicated to the safetyand advancement of medical gas delivery systems. Tegroups members include people from all facets of ourindustry, such as designers, manufacturers, healthcarepersonnel, and verifiers. Te MGPHO CMGV designa-tion is the highest and most widely accepted credentialin the medical gas system verification industry. If youspecify an MGPHO CMGV on your projects, you willhave the resources of the entire organization behind you.Te MGPHO website includes a U.S. map that will helpyou find a credentialed verifier in your area, as well asan excellent forum. You will find medical gas discussionsconducted around the clock. Tere is no better place tofind unbiased answers to your medical gas questions.MGPHO members are involved in legislative and code

issues all around the world. We currently are lobbyingdesigners, project managers, and hospital owners tospecify or contract MGPHO CMGV verifiers to help alle-viate some past conflicts of interest.

In addition to ensuring that the systems meet tminimum requirements, the verifier will check all souequipment for form and function. Next, he will test alarm systems for set points, signals, and pressures moitored. Function and location of all valves in the systeare documented to help the owner log the controPiping systems are tested for purity, for both gaseous aparticulate contaminants. Te final tests confirm forfit, and function of all medical gas outlets and inlets.

Te collected information then is assembled intodocument for approval by the authority having jurisdtion. Once the owner has performed their tests and tcertificate of occupancy has been issued, the team cmove on to the next project. Hope to see you there.

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RICHARD MILLERis the founder and president ofMedical Gas Technology Inc. (www.medgastech.com), aCarolinas-based corporation that specializes in testing,verification, and repair of medical gas delivery systems.He has also participated on various boards and technicalcommittees such as the NFPA 99 Technical Committee onPiping Systems and the ASSE 6000 Working Group. He canbe contacted by e-mail at [email protected]. Formore information or to comment on this article, e [email protected].

COVER FEATURE: INSPECTION, TESTING, ANDCERTIFICATION OF

MEDICAL GAS DELIVERY SYSTEMS

2007, American Society of Plumbing Engineers.

4.-pautas para diseños proyectos segun nfpa 99 richard miller article

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