HospitalInspections.org

Based on staff interview and document review, it was determined that the hospital has two emergency generators installed in the facility 200kVA and 408 kVA which are not in compliance with the requirement of NFPA 99. The Type I EES is not divided into the critical branch, life safety branch and the emergency system in accordance with NFPA 99 - 3.4.2.2.2.
The hospital performs general anesthesia and has patients who use Life Support Systems (Ventilators) and is required to comply with the provision of Type 1 EES system (Essential Electrical System).

Findings include:

In an interview with the Director of Engineering on 07/23/15 and review of the directories on the panels of the Essential Electrical System, it was determined that the wiring configuration of the Essential Electrical System in the facility does not conform with Type I EES and therefore, the EES system in the hospital does not comply with 1999 NFPA 99 3-4.2.2.1.
The specific issue involved was the separation of the generator branches into a Life Safety branch, Critical, and Equipment Branches as per the requirement of NFPA 99. The Director of Engineering indicated that the branches of the generators are divided only in a few newly renovated parts of the hospital, but the hospital as a whole does not have a code compliant EES type 1 as per NFPA 99 requirement. The Hospital performs general anesthesia and operates a ventilator dependent unit, and as such, requires a Type I EES.

Review of the directories of the panels and switches also revealed that items required to be served by the Equipment Branch of the EES system were not independent or separate from items required to be served by the Life Safety Branch of EES system, and or from items required to be served the Critical Branch of the EES system.

1999 NFPA 99 3-4.2.1.4, 3-4.2.2, NFPA 70: Article 517 and Article 700.

This is a repeated citation from June 2011 survey.