Article 517 -- IT on critical branch?

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jotw

Member
Location
Texas
I have a situation. A hospital has contacted me to run power to an IT room where they are installing multiple servers, PDUs, etc. They insist that I tie into the critical branch. To me, computers and the internet don't qualify as part of an essential electrical system. Thoughts?
 

drive1968

Senior Member
The hospital would know best what is critical. After all, how can they get paid if their computers aren't working? :)
 

roger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Fl
Occupation
Retired Electrician
I have a situation. A hospital has contacted me to run power to an IT room where they are installing multiple servers, PDUs, etc. They insist that I tie into the critical branch. To me, computers and the internet don't qualify as part of an essential electrical system. Thoughts?
As stated by Drive, this would be a hospital call or the AHJ governing hospitals in your area or state and I can certainly see why IT equipment could be essential to a hospitals operation.

The applicable code would be 517.33(A)(9)

Roger
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
I wonder if Hospitals have plans how to stay open if the IT goes down?

Most of the retail places I work keep old type credit card imprinters on hand in case the card readers fail.

manualcreditcardmachine.jpg
 

steve66

Senior Member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
Engineer
I wonder if Hospitals have plans how to stay open if the IT goes down?

Most of the retail places I work keep old type credit card imprinters on hand in case the card readers fail.

manualcreditcardmachine.jpg


I always seem to get stuck in the line where the cashier is clueless if the register goes down. I wonder how many employees would still know how to use one of those??
 

dbuckley

Senior Member
In my opinion, IT is generally one of the most critical things in any business. Lose the IT, and you cant do a thing.

When I last worked in a hospital, which was 1982 (I think), the only computer was the one in admin that did the payroll. Now IT is an essential part of medical care life.

Many hospitals no longer have the traditional patient notes, so no IT means no notes. X-rays are now electronic, so no IT means no x-rays. Lose the internet, and you can't get x-ray results from the radiographers up the road, or look up a patient identifier from the Ministry of Health.
 

jim dungar

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Wisconsin
Occupation
PE (Retired) - Power Systems
Many drug carts are wirelessly linked to and locked by the hospital computer systems - no IT, no 'on the floor' drug dispensing.

Laptops and 'I-pads' are and will continue to replace paper charts in many facilities.

Heck even the kitchen and its patient food dispensing can not operate without computer access.
 
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