Medical gas systems (med-gas, vacuum, med-air etc.) are to be installed, inspected, and verified by licensed/certified professionals in accordance to state and local laws (e.g. State Plumbing Law, Texas Department of Health, NFPA 99, International Fire Code Section 5306, International Plumbing Code Chapter 12, etc.). According to NFPA 99 Health Care Facilities Code, there are a series of tests, confirmations, and verifications that must be performed by the licensed med-gas installer and a third party certified inspector/verifier (ASSE 6020, 6030 Medical Gas Inspector- Verifier). There is also a state of Texas requirement that a licensed plumbing inspector with a med-gas endorsement inspect the plumbing sections of the system. According to NFPA Medical Gas and Vacuum Systems Installation Handbook (2018 edition) there are multiple tests that each the installer and inspector/verifier must perform before the system can be safely used. The City will need both your med-gas installer and your med-gas inspector-verifier to provide written compliance of those tests/confirmations/verifications. We would be happy to send you more test requirement details (Supplement 3; copies) from the aforementioned NFPA handbook if you need them but in short the following are the inspection-verification types we need confirmed (in writing) and by which professional prior to the City’s final approval.

 

Medical Gas Systems Inspection Requirements:

NFPA 99 applies to nonflammable medical gas, inhalation anesthetic and permanently installed vacuum piping systems, with the exception of portable systems and the storage of gas cylinders. The mechanical exhaust of vacuum piping systems is also exempt from NFTPA 99 requirements and must comply with the requirements of the IMC.

 Pipe and fittings used in a medical gas system must be of Type K or L (ASTM B819) copper tubing, precleaned and capped. All pipe must be identified with one of the following markings: OXY, MED, OXY/MED, ACR/OXY or ACR/MED.

The soldered or brazed joints are to be visually checked after it has been washed with hot water and a stainless steel wire brush has been used to remove scale. The following conditions are considered unacceptable:

1. Flux or flux residue present.

2. Excessive oxidation of the joint.

3. Cracks in the tube of component.

4. Cracks in the braze filler metal.

5. Presence of unmelted filler metal.

6. Presence of filler metal clearly visible around the entire joint and at the interface between the socket and tube.

7. Failure of the joint to hold the test pressure.

Vacuum system piping must be corrosion-resistant metal such as seamless copper water tube (ASTM B88, Types K, L and M), copper ACR tube (ASTM B280), copper medical gas tube (ASTM B819), stainless steel tube or galvanized steel pipe (ASTM A53).