There is still confusion regarding the code-required separation of power systems in a healthcare facility, Krista McDonald Biason, associate vice president, HGA Architects & Engineers, wrote in a blog on the Electrical Construction & Maintenance website.
The essential systems in a healthcare occupancy consist of the life safety branch, the critical branch and the equipment branch. The life safety branch is the power required to safely egress the building and includes egress lighting, exit signs, powered doors in the path of egress and the fire alarm system, the blog said.
The critical branch is more straightforward with its requirements, but also leaves some room for interpretation, according to Biason. The intent is power for “direct patient care.”
Every Detail Matters: A Patient's Story of Healing, Hope and Healthcare Facilities
Enhancing Safety at Hennepin Healthcare with a Screening System
The Landes Group Completes Acquisition of Encore Medical Center
What Managers Miss in Small and Mid-Sized Cooling Units
Preparing Healthcare Facilities for Cockroach Risks