Hospital Receptacle Testing

[alan1213]

I have a question that is more a NFPA 99 question than a NEC question, but maybe someone here will still have an answer. My question is about hospital receptacle testing. Since i have worked at the hospital I'm at I have had to test every receptacle in the facility annually. I have read the code and in NFPA 99 6.3.3.2 it tells how to test the receptacles but not how often. In NFPA 99 6.3.4.1, the way i understand it is you have to test hospital grade receptacles, at patient bed locations and locations where deep or general anesthesia is used, when you put them in, replace or service them. Non-hospital grade have to be tested annually at these locations. additional testing of hospital grade receptacle are at intervals defined by documented performance data. So my question is do i have to test all receptacles in the facility or just those in the areas listed above and how often do i have to test the hopital grade receptacles in those areas? What is documented performance data? i am trying to cut out a lot of work for me but i want to make sure we are still in compliance. Thanks in advance.

 

[Gregg Harris]

I have a question that is more a NFPA 99 question than a NEC question, but maybe someone here will still have an answer. My question is about hospital receptacle testing. Since i have worked at the hospital I'm at I have had to test every receptacle in the facility annually. I have read the code and in NFPA 99 6.3.3.2 it tells how to test the receptacles but not how often. In NFPA 99 6.3.4.1, the way i understand it is you have to test hospital grade receptacles, at patient bed locations and locations where deep or general anesthesia is used, when you put them in, replace or service them. Non-hospital grade have to be tested annually at these locations. additional testing of hospital grade receptacle are at intervals defined by documented performance data. So my question is do i have to test all receptacles in the facility or just those in the areas listed above and how often do i have to test the hopital grade receptacles in those areas? What is documented performance data? i am trying to cut out a lot of work for me but i want to make sure we are still in compliance. Thanks in advance.

Take a look at NFPA 99
4.3.3.2
and 8.4.1.3

 

[alan1213]

Hospital Receptacle Testing

Gregg thanks for your help. I looked up the codes you provided and they were a great help. I was in the 2012 code not the 2005, Duh. I seen also in 4.3.4.1.2, that additional testing was to be done at intervals defined by documented performance data. What exactly does that mean and at what intervals must I test the hospital grade receptacles again.

 

[Gregg Harris]

Gregg thanks for your help. I looked up the codes you provided and they were a great help. I was in the 2012 code not the 2005, Duh. I seen also in 4.3.4.1.2, that additional testing was to be done at intervals defined by documented performance data. What exactly does that mean and at what intervals must I test the hospital grade receptacles again.

It is a confusing subject, but what I can gather is that after 1996 the prescriptive time limit was removed and only required testing when "documented performance data" meaning when something wrong was noted about the receptacle and required service repair or replacement was testing required.