Hospital Grade Smoke Detectors

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north star

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inside Area 51

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Is there a such thing as "hospital grade" smoke detectors? I have a dental office project and they
will be installing hospital grade conductors, raceways, grounding, receptacles, an emergency generator
with separate circuitry and other components.

I am wondering about the smoke detectors that are proposed for
installation, ...some in the patient care areas and some in the other non-patient care areas of the building.
This is a Type "B" occupancy building, non-sprinkled, V-B construction, single story, approx. 4,700+ sq. ft.
We are on the 2006 I-Codes and the 2008 NEC. Please list the applicable articles or code sections.

Thanks for any assistance!

 
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nhfire77

Senior Member
Location
NH
Are the smokes single station, like in a home or connected to a FACP?

There are not hospital grade smokes that is part of a Fire alarm system, the UL listed compatible smokes for the panel are all that is available.

There are different type of smoke detectors, but not different grades.
 
steve66

steve66

Senior Member
Location
Illinois
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Engineer
I don't think there is any such thing as hospital grade smoke detectors.

Do you have concerns that the installed system isn't adequate?

Steve
 
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north star

Senior Member
Location
inside Area 51
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Pierre,

I am ICC certified in all the res. & most comm. disciplines and as a plans examiner [ not yet an Elect. Plans Examiner though ! ].




nhfire77,

The smoke detectors are the single station type, not connected to any FACP or alarm system.




steve66,

My concern is that the plans submitted on this project did not have any "hospital grade" components listed on them. Both of the DP's ( the ar-kee-tekt & the electrical engineer ) missed Art. 517, 250.118 & others in the `08 NEC.

They will be submitting revised plans to have the "hospital grade" systems, components & materials shown on the plans ( i.e. - the "hospital grade" conductors, raceways, receptacles, junction boxes, lighting fixtures, switches, etc. ). My question / concerns are that I am trying to verify if there is such an animal as "hosptal grade" type of smoke detectors. As usual, the DP's are designing to the bare minimum to satisfy the customer' budget, NOT the code requirements! :mad:

In referring to Art. 517.13(A), since the branch circuit is required to be "hospital grade" [ i.e. - redundantaly grounded ], wouldn't the "utilization equipment" attached to those circuits also be required to be "hospital grade", similar to the snap switches or receptacles installed within the patient care & patient examining areas ?

Thanks ya'll for your input and assistance. :D

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roger

roger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Fl
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Retired Electrician
Microwatt said:
Where does 517 say you need hospital grade receptacles in a dental office?
Click to expand...

It doesn't and they aren't required in dental offices unless there is a critical care area with a procedure table in it.

Roger
 
steve66

steve66

Senior Member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
Engineer
Light fixtures and switches aren't really listed as "hospital grade" either.

However, I must admit, I have never seen single station type detectors installed in a commercial project. I can't see how that would comply with all the fire alarm requirments including ADA.

Steve
 
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nakulak

Senior Member
npfa 101 18.3.4.1 Health care facilities shall be provided with a fire alarm system in accordance with 9.6
 
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north star

Senior Member
Location
inside Area 51
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Roger,

I will respectfully disagree with your viewpoint about the areas within a dental office being "Critcal Care" designated. I have never seen any patients connected to any electro-mechanical devices, nor would I consider it to be "invasive" ( <----- ???? ). I HAVE seen / participated in some level of invasiveness in that the dentist WAS extracting my wisdom teeth and he DID have to surgically cut my gums to gain access to the impacted wisdom teeth. I'm not really sure of how one would determine a level of invasiveness in this case. I DO know how the dentist would classify it, ...it's costing him/her more money! :grin: That being said, I would not consider the facility to be designated as "Critical Care", but rather "General Care" in the patient care areas and the patient examining areas. Also, I am still in communition with both design professionals in assisting them with the compliance of the adopted codes and standards in this AHJ. I am very open to receiving more input from any member on this forum to help me understand the code requirements on this project. I absolutley DO NOT know it all, ...I am here to learn from you experts.

Either way, I DO very much your input, as well as, all of the other forum members on here. You are all VERY helpful and extremely knowledgable, and I need all the help I can get! :)

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roger

roger

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Staff member
Location
Fl
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Retired Electrician
North Star, first of all, welcome to the forum.

Did they put you completely out when they did your wisdom teeth?

Your reference to 517.61 is in part IV of 517 which is Inhalation Anesthetizing Locations, I know that that doesn't automatically make this a "Critical Care Area" but when using Inhalation type anesthesia it is usually for surgery of some level and could certainly be considered a Critical Care Area.

Critical Care Areas. Those special care units, intensive care units, coronary care units, angiography laboratories, cardiac catheterization laboratories, delivery rooms, operating rooms, and similar areas in which patients are intended to be subjected to invasive procedures and connected to line-operated, electromedical device
Click to expand...

As an aside there are a good number of Dentist Offices that include Maliofacial surgery areas.

Roger
 
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north star

Senior Member
Location
inside Area 51
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Roger,

Much thanks for your continuing input and for your patience in helping me to discuss this and to learn more about the applicable codes. To me, it's obvious that the design professionals are geared towards the minimal costs of the project and NOT code compliance. They're asking me what I want to see on the plans. I told them to put what is required by the adopted codes, ...no more, ...no less!

No, they did not put me completely out. They used novacaine shots way back then ( 1977 ). No inhalation gas was available. Dr. Yank & Jerkem DID do a good job on me though! :grin: It was at the U.S. Naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.


This particular project is for an orthodontal office. I have been informed that there will not be any inhalation gases ( i.e. - the medical gases ) on the site, however, this project WILL have vacuum lines installed, which means body fluids being sucked to a central location. To me, body fluids means blood and lots and lots and lots of saliva. Is that considered to be "invasive" or "Critical Care" ? :confused:

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