patient care facilty

[tigerboy5602]

Working on a Radiology office suite. Wired the outlets in the patient care ares with a isolated and redundant ground. Also called hospital grade or green color M/C cable. For the lighting in the patient care areas do we also need the same hospital grade M/C??

Looked in article 517, there is no mention of using hospital grade M/C cable in the general patient care units. Has anyone been sited for using regular M/C cable instead of hospital grade M/C.

 

[roger]

Re: patient care facilty

Originally posted by tigerboy5602:
For the lighting in the patient care areas do we also need the same hospital grade M/C??

To be correct it is not an MC it is an AC highbrid called HCFC or HFC.

In patient care areas a wiring method where the sheath itself qualifies as an EGC per 250.118 must be used even for the lighting, however, the lighting does not require an insulated wire EGC.

517.13 Grounding of Receptacles and Fixed Electric Equipment in Patient Care Areas
Wiring in patient care areas shall comply with 517.13(A) and 517.13(B).

(A) Wiring Methods All branch circuits serving patient care areas shall be provided with a ground path for fault current by installation in a metal raceway system, or a cable having a metallic armor or sheath assembly. The metal raceway system, or metallic cable armor, or sheath assembly shall itself qualify as an equipment grounding return path in accordance with 250.118.

(B) Insulated Equipment Grounding Conductor The grounding terminals of all receptacles and all non?current-carrying conductive surfaces of fixed electric equipment likely to become energized that are subject to personal contact, operating at over 100 volts, shall be grounded by an insulated copper conductor. The equipment grounding conductor shall be sized in accordance with Table 250.122 and installed in metal raceways or as a part of listed cables having a metallic armor or sheath assembly with the branch-circuit conductors supplying these receptacles or fixed equipment.

Exception No. 2: Luminaires (light fixtures) more than 2.3 m (7 1/ 2 ft) above the floor and switches located outside of the patient vicinity shall not be required to be grounded by an insulated equipment grounding conductor.

Roger

[ February 04, 2006, 04:47 PM: Message edited by: roger ]