PIPE
DREAMS – Certification Thoughts
Fred Evans, CEO
Medical Gas Management, LLC
During the history of medical
gas certification, the NFPA has touched on some of the required testing
for new and remodeled systems. Certification was interpreted as a cross
line test, verification that the correct gas was dispersed from the
proper outlet and that pumps, compressors, and manifolds functioned
properly. It was assumed that the system design met the requirements of
the specification and standard, that the contractor installed the system
correctly and that the testing company’s inspection insured that all
work was done in complete compliance with NFPA standards. NOT!!!
Remember, if a problem is not caught during inspection or certification
the facility inherits the system – good or bad.
NFPA
99 4-3.4.1.1 states that all applicable provisions of this document have
been adhered to. The direction of “shall” in the standard
requires inspection and documentation. In just Chapter 4 of the NFPA, the
direction “shall” is given 1,430 times. When you add the
requirements of NPFA 50, Bulk Oxygen Systems at Consumer Sites and NFPA
70, National Electrical Code, the verification won’t fit on an 8.5 x
11 piece of paper. Yet, this is how most projects are documented. The
standard provides clear direction to the designer, supplier, installer
and certifier as to requirements. The question is: “Who should be
responsible for the performance and verification that these provisions
have been met?”
Would it not make sense that
the certification process start with a design and specification review
followed by rough-in piping inspection and communication with the
installer as to what is expected and required? Certification forms should
ask the question, “Does it comply?” Should the certifier be
employed by the owner of the system to protect his interest rather than
the contractor to eliminate any potential conflict of interest? These are
valid points for consideration when approaching a new or remodeled
medical gas system. The evaluation must start in the design
phase.
In
our Comprehensive Medical Gas System Evaluation, Medical Gas Management
continually uncovers major design and installation deficiencies that
greatly impact patient safety and add to the cost of
healthcare.
In
upcoming issues of Medical Gas Matters! we will cover the points you
should expect to find in medical gas system documentation.
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Our
Mission
Medical Gas Management is
dedicated to providing the safest, most reliable medical gas systems
available. Medical Gas Management's insistence on quality is driven by
our staff's profound reverence for life and by our understanding that the
accurate and safe delivery of pure, clean medical gas is crucial to a
variety of life-saving treatments and procedures. At Medical Gas
Management, our mission is to provide a service that insures peace of
mind for the patient as well as the professional health provider.
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Students Comment on MGM's Medical Gas Systems Installer's
School
“…the course
identified areas in which we are deficient and gave the information we
need to bring our system into compliance and protect our
patients.”
“…an excellent class
with very knowledgeable instructors.”
“…will enable me to
oversee renovations and catch discrepancies and omission in
specifications.”
“The class will aid me in
explanation of procedures and installation.”
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TECH
TIPS –Adapters
by
Tom Evans, VP
Medical Gas Management, LLC
Recently I encountered a
problem while attempting to disconnect an oxygen flow meter from its
companion outlet. I was unable to disconnect the device because the
adapter failed to release inside the outlet.
After disassembling the entire
medical gas console and face plate, I was able to disconnect the unit by
releasing the mechanism internally.
Close inspection of the adapter
revealed that the shear pin inherent in the Medical Fitting Quick Connect
Adapter for Medical Gases and Vacuum, had dislodged. The pin had moved or
slipped from its intended position just enough to prevent the adapter's
internal parts from working properly. Therefore, it could not be
disengaged.
Although this can conceivably
occur in the Ohmeda Diamond Quick Connect Adapter, I know of only a few
instances where it has actually happened.
To
correct this condition I've found that a small drop of red Loctite brand
threadlock on the end of the shear pin secures the pin and eliminates the
problem.
When
using red Loctite threadlock on a shear pin, be extra careful to prevent
Loctite from getting on any part of the adapter that may come in contact
with the gas stream. Red Loctite is not compatible with oxygen and,
therefore, should only be used on external components of the
adapter.
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Notes
From The MGPHO Meeting
On
January 21st, approximately 70 members of MGPHO gathered in New Orleans
for the first meeting of 2000.
MGPHO has spent considerable
time and effort developing Certification Testing Procedures for MGPHO
Standards. At the meeting the standards were presented and approved.
Twelve members took the test and received MGPHO certification.
A
representative from the Foxboro Company, manufacturer of the SapphIRe
portable ambient air analyzer, discussed the merits and appropriate
applications of this equipment. Members had an opportunity to ask
questions and came away with a better understanding of this
equipment.
The
next MGPHO meeting is scheduled for July in Seattle, WA. Watch for
details in future issues of Medical Gas Matters!
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Year
2000
Medical Gas School Schedule
Cost: $495.00
| March 22–24 |
Oklahoma City, OK |
| May 17–19 |
Oklahoma City, OK |
| July 19–21 |
Oklahoma City, OK |
| September
20–22 |
Oklahoma City, OK |
| November 15–17 |
Oklahoma City, OK |
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Company Meeting
Medical Gas Management
employees from across the country, gathered at the corporate office in
Bethany, OK on January 14 and 15, 2000 for a company meeting.
Fred
Evans, CEO, opened the meeting by congratulating employees on the success
of the 1999 business year. He reiterated his commitment to maintaining
the highest standard of quality in medical gas systems work and his
vision for growth of the company. The company presented its business plan
for 2000, and unveiled an expanded benefits package.
The
technical staff participated in an intensive analysis of the NFPA 99
Standards for Health Care. The staff reviewed MGM's updated system
evaluation forms that include the changes in the standard.
The
meeting wasn't all work. Everyone enjoyed an Italian dinner Friday
evening. Corky Bishop received the Company's Outstanding Achievement
Award for his work in the medical gas systems and Malcolm Pollard was
honored as the Employee of the Year.
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NFPA
99 Change
National Fire Protection
Association has addressed piping labels in the 1999 edition. The standard
states that the gas content of the medical gas piping shall be identified
by appropriate labeling with the name and pressure of the gas. Labeling
of the piping should appear every 20 feet and at least once in each room
and each story the piping traverses.
The color codes recommended
by the NFPA are as follows:
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Gas Service
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Colors (Background/Text)
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Medical Air
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Yellow/black |
| Carbon Dioxide |
Grey/black or
grey/white |
| Helium |
Brown/white |
| Nitrogen |
Black/white |
| Nitrous Oxide |
Blue/white |
| Oxygen |
Green/white or
white/green |
| Oxygen carbon dioxide
mixtures |
Green/white |
| Medical-surgical
vacuum |
White/black |
| Waste anaesthetic gas
disposal |
Violet/white |
| Other mixtures |
Colors as above; major gas for
background/minor gas for text |
| Nonmedical air |
Yellow & white diagonal
stripe/black |
| Nonmedical vacuum |
White & black diagonal
stripe black boxed |
| Laboratory air |
Yellow and white
checkerboard/black |
| Laboratory vacuum |
White and black
checkerboard/black boxed |
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Beyond
The Walls…
The problem: A leak
in a vacuum line
The challenge: Repair the leak
Procedures:
1. Make sure the line is live.
(You can tell when the leak gets sealed that way.)
2.
Apply Duct tape liberally to the exterior of the pipe at the leak. (This
usually takes care of it, but check back later to be sure.)
3.
If the tape doesn’t hold, apply a soft solder to the leak. (make
sure the line is live to suck the solder into the hole. Sometimes you
can’t tell exactly where it is.)
4.
Keep adding solder (it may take a while) until the leak gets plugged
up.
5.
Take pride in a job completed.
Look
at this excellent example of using these exact procedures. Note that the
line leak is sealed – but it did take clogging the entire line to
“fix” it!
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Medical Gas Installers Course
Who
should attend a school about medical gas systems installation? Hospital
maintenance personnel responsible for repairs, installers new to the
business or catching up on the latest changes, designers who want to make
sure their systems are compliant with NPFA standards, and estimators who
want a better understanding of the time and materials involved in medical
gas projects have all benefited from attending the MGM Installers
Course.
Classes are usually made up of
a diverse group of students. This helps develop an awareness of how one
person’s job affects the next. For instance, a bulk oxygen supplier
might shed some light on safety issues concerning cryogenic liquids and
high pressure cylinders.
The
Medical Gas Management Installers Course offers a unique perspective on
building a medical gas system. The class is taught by certifiers with
years of experience in the field. They bring to the classroom numerous
examples of the best and worst they’ve seen in medical gas systems.
Many of the worst are available for inspection in Medical Gas
Management’s “Hall of Shame”.
Interaction among the students
and graphic displays give meaning to the rules in NFPA 99. Students can
expect to gain a new appreciation for patient safety with respect to
medical gas systems.
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