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... does the "NHS Premises Assurance Model" score the percentage completion (veracity or overall status) of medical equipment PM? *

... yet another thread, perhaps.

* Yes (sort of); see Clause 2.13.

For anyone interested, there are a lot of nice YouTube videos.

"Permission to switch off and lock off"!

"Key in pocket"!

Just one last point to make things clear about responsibilities:

• Building Electrical Installation = Electricians and designers working to BS 7671 (or equivalent county standard)
• Medical electrical Equipment = EBME and manufacturers working to BS EN 60601-1 and BS EN 62353 (or IEC equivalent)

There is a clear demarcation point at the electrical supply connection point, which is the mains plug or portable equipment and the mains input terminals of permanently installed equipment (the supply connecting cable is still part of the electrical installation final circuit).

It is useful for each of these two groups to have a basic understanding of the other but one should not think they can do the others work, as this has led to errors and mistakes in the past! It is also important that one does not dictate requirements for the other as this may be and often is incompatible.

Quite right.

With ref. to the new resistance values, will the move to make G1 and G2 the same resistance value have a cost implication with modular wiring systems? Do you know if they come supplied so they always meet G2 values?

Yes; for as long as I can remember the demarcation - "estates" -versus- biomed - has always been "the wall".

That is, everything up to (and behind) the wall came under the remit of *"estates"; and everything "off the wall" (from the mains plug onwards) came under the biomeds.

In other words, the point of demarcation was (is) the mains socket, medical gas outlet, etc.

And long may it continue.

We (I) always hoped and assumed that the electrical (and medical gases) supply was "sound"; but I must admit that I have come across more than a few cases in my time when it wasn't (and then did something about it - usually in a loud and forthright manner)!

* The Hospital Engineers, aka "Facility Engineering"

Do you mean bedhead units and so forth? If they don't meet the specs, then they should be rejected (and removed from site)!

Oh, those were the days.

Yes.

Remember any change in a standard is not retrospective, so only installations after the publication and depending on contract agreements would be affected. However, a modular wiring system often uses a ring main system, which is protected by a 32A MCB, so it would already be expected to have a resistance of 0.156 ohms to meet the current requirements.

Just a reminder that when bedhead units incorporate services such as medical gases, communications, lighting equipment, as well as socket-outlets for power they fall under BS EN 11197 - Medical Supply Units (MSU). Since, BS EN 11197 uses BS EN 60601-1 as its base (yes, medical supply units are medical equipment), I would expect any use of modular wiring to conform to this standard.

Clearly many socket-outlets are not designated for medical equipment and are placed outside of the patient environment (Group 0) so then the general rules apply. Remember a medical location group (especially Group 1 and 2) may be quite small and just encompass a single patient position. It may not apply to the whole room!

Thank you for that informative response.



The new ESG will naturally record location areas (by means of drawings) and how the decision for that group was ascertained as per HTM 06-01 16.32

How about "change of use" (of the room), and (or) re-configuration of equipment in the room; and (or) additional equipment within the room (which may or may not fall within the "patient environment")?

After all, such occurrences hardly unknown.

Maybe all wall socket outlets need to be marked according to Group (not to mention those "For Cleaner Only") to record not only the decisions taken by the ESG's, but also to offer a few clues (reassurance) to those staff who actually use the rooms and the equipment within them.

Whilst we're at it, perhaps those outlets need to carry a "Last Tested" (and-or "Group confirmed") date, as well. Dare I mention:- PM!

Lastly, where do we stand regarding BS-1363 outlets with USB sockets (extra work involved when testing loop impedance - or insulation resistance - with those)? Are these allowed in "medical locations" (hopefully not)?

Who is responsible for rounding up (and then binning) any trailing mains extension socket outlets found in "medical locations"? My vote says "the biomeds", as they are clearly an "off the wall" item. Keep up the Good Work, lads.