Operating rooms.

K

Keith beshears

Member
Location
New York new hyde park
Hello quick question i hope.

In accordance with Article 517.19(C) of the 2017 National Electrical Code, operating rooms within our New York hospital facility necessitate a minimum of 36 receptacle outlets. These receptacles must be supplied by circuits originating from separate sources, ensuring that they are not controlled by the same switching mechanism. This requirement implies that operating rooms should be equipped with both normal and emergency power feeds, or alternatively, two distinct emergency power feeds, each sourced from a different location. Given the differing interpretations among our electrical staff, clarification is needed to ensure compliance with these critical safety standards.
 
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517.19 Critical Care (Category 1) Spaces.
(A) Patient Bed Location Branch Circuits. Each patient bed location shall be supplied by at least two branch circuits, one or more from the critical branch and one or more circuits from the normal system. At least one branch circuit from the critical branch shall supply an outlet(s) only at that bed location.
The electrical receptacles or the cover plates for the electrical receptacles supplied from the life safety and critical branches shall have a distinctive color or marking so as to be readily identifiable. [99:6.4.2.2.6.2(C)]
All branch circuits from the normal system shall be from a single panelboard. Critical branch receptacles shall be identified and shall also indicate the panelboard and circuit number supplying them.
The branch circuit serving patient bed locations shall not be part of a multiwire branch circuit.
Exception No. 1: Branch circuits serving only special-purpose receptacles or equipment in critical care (Category 1) spaces shall be permitted to be served by other panelboards.
Exception No. 2: Critical care (Category 1) spaces served from two separate critical branch transfer switches shall not be required to have circuits from the normal system.
(B) Patient Bed Location Receptacles.
(1) Minimum Number and Supply. Each patient bed location shall be provided with a minimum of 14 receptacles, at least one of which shall be connected to either of the following: (1) The normal system branch circuit required in 517.19(A) (2) A critical branch circuit supplied by a different transfer switch than the other receptacles at the same patient bed location
(2) Receptacle Requirements. The receptacles required in 517.19(B)(1) shall be permitted to be single, duplex, or quadruplex type or any combination thereof. All receptacles shall be listed “hospital grade” and shall be so identified. The grounding terminal of each receptacle shall be connected to the reference grounding point by means of an insulated copper equipment grounding conductor.
(C) Operating Room Receptacles. (1) Minimum Number and Supply.
Each operating room shall
be provided with a minimum of 36 receptacles divided between at least two branch circuits. At least 12 receptacles, but no more than 24, shall be connected to either of the following:
(1) The normal system branch circuit required in 517.19(A) (2) A critical branch circuit supplied by a different transfer switch than the other receptacles at the same location
 
What it is saying is that if you decide to use two Critical Branch circuits in lieu of a Normal Branch and a Critical Branch combination the two circuits must come from more than one Critical Transfer Switch.
 
Acknowledged. To clarify the requirements for electrical supply in an operating room, specifically regarding normal and emergency power systems, is it mandated to have both a normal power supply and an emergency critical branch within the operating room itself? Or, alternatively, is it permissible to supply an operating room with only a single emergency feeder originating from a single automatic transfer switch (ATS)? My understanding is that both normal and emergency power are indeed required within the same room, but must be sourced from separate locations, as outlined in sections such as 517.19(c)(1) or (2), which reference 517.19(a).
 
517.19(A) Exception #2 covers not needing a Normal branch circuit.
 
I want apologize. I have re-read what you wrote. I understand the emergency side with not using the normal power you can use two critical branches got that, but from different ats's understood. I was more concerned about having normal power in the room with em being in the room also on a isolation panel like the emergency. I'm not sure if your normal power needs to be on nice lation panel.I would think so.
 
Once a room is served by an Isolated Power System by any Branch all supplies into the room would need to be the same.
 
BTW, the section could definitely be worded better. I don't know where the TCC is when a lot of the wording is put together. They either don't have a clue or are deliberately making things confusing.
 
I agree again that all branches serving an operating room should be in ISO panels. To my understanding, operating rooms are considered wet location rooms due to the procedures being performed, not all but most. Thank you for all your replies. These sections of the nec are a little confusing with the wording sometimes. Thanks agian
 
I recommend you get a copy of NFPA 99 to start with. NFPA has made an effort to make the words and requirements between codes compatible, but NFPA 99 is more the arbiter of design in hospitals. That said you normally have two isolation panels in each OR, one fed from the normal branch and one fed from the critical branch. Then you usually have a single isolation panel for multiple rooms for the laser. By the way, what is your trade. It isn't in your profile.
 
Old thread, sorry for the revival but it's germane to my topic with a twist: is there any code anywhere that would *require* two critical ATSs, in addition to any normal receptacles? I was told "code change" in a grunt, but I've looked at the '23 NEC and NFPA-99 and they seem to agree; so wondering if there's a third planet in orbit causing this, or someone took someone's word for it once.
 
There can be more than one but not mandated see 517.18(A) and 517.19(A). Are they thinking about the LS branch?
 
I retired from a large Children's Hospital and when they remodeled over a dozen OR rooms I lost count after counting at least 52 Red duplex receptacles in each OR. Each OR had two LIM panels with at least 12 two pole 20 amp circuit breaker. With LIM panels there is not a grounded conductor ( yea nuetral ) but both conductors feeding duplex receptacles were from 56 to 64 volts to ground due to the grounded center tap on the 120 volt of LIM transformer. I attended a meeting with at least four people from the company that manufactured the new LIM panels. When I asked where are the Arc Flash labels going to be jnstalled those four were deer in the head lights.Did not have a clue and two years later still did not have the code required labeling. Can never remember seeing a normal power receptacle in any of the OR'S. The hospital had two dual 13,200 volt services with automatic tie breakers, over 30 ATS switches and 7 large generators. We had a special box that we attached our meter to to test every LIM lanel.monthly. Also had a hand held tester to check ground pin tension on receptacles. I can not think of why you would want it every need normal.power receptacles in any OR'S. When we performed yearly & tri annual testing of substations & ATS'S it was performed very early on a Sunday morning and at no point would affect more then 25% of total # of OR'S and that was for a very short time period. ( like transferring some old ATS'S that were not closed transition ).
 
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