Health Care Facilities Flashcards

In a patient care area, what is the maximum allowable voltage between any two accessible conductive surfaces in a general care area?

Answer: 50 mV

NEC 517.13 requires that the voltage between any two accessible conductive surfaces in a general care area not exceed 50 mV (millivolts).

Which NEC article specifically covers the electrical requirements for health care facilities?

Answer: Article 517

NEC Article 517 covers electrical wiring and equipment in health care facilities including hospitals, nursing homes, and clinics.

What is the minimum size equipment grounding conductor required for a branch circuit in a critical care area?

Answer: 10 AWG copper

NEC 517.13(A) requires an insulated copper equipment grounding conductor, minimum 10 AWG, for branch circuits serving patient care areas in critical care spaces.

In a Type 1 essential electrical system, the automatic transfer to generator power must occur within how many seconds?

Answer: 10 seconds

NEC 517.30 and NFPA 99 require that the life safety and critical branches of a Type 1 EES transfer to alternate power within 10 seconds of normal power failure.

A wet procedure location in a health care facility is defined as one where:

Answer: Liquids are intentionally used as part of the procedure

NEC 517.2 defines a wet procedure location as one in which a procedure is performed and water or conductive liquids are intentionally used or administered.

What type of receptacles are required in critical care patient bed locations?

Answer: Hospital-grade receptacles

NEC 517.18(B) requires hospital-grade receptacles at patient bed locations in critical care areas to ensure reliable connections for life-supporting equipment.

Which branch of the essential electrical system in a hospital must power the fire alarm system?

Answer: Life safety branch

NEC 517.32 specifies that the fire alarm system must be connected to the life safety branch of the essential electrical system.