Rules and Guidelines
Want to participate in the discussions? Please read our Community Rules and Guidelines. Need some help? Visit Support and Answers.

  • State Not Answered
  • Locked Locked
  • Replies 3 replies
  • Subscribers 32 subscribers
  • Views 347 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
You may also be interested in
This discussion has been locked.
You can no longer post new replies to this discussion. If you have a question you can start a new discussion

IT and Medical Locations.

Zoomup
'6 Supply Disconnection and Failure Medical IT socket-outlets are fitted to reduce the risk of DISCONNECTION. They are not installed for any other reason. This is because the risk of an RCD tripping is too high for life-critical devices. It has nothing to do with shock risk reduction – even though the supply is isolated.'


I never knew that.


Z.
  • 0
    And that's why an IT system is used ... "first fault" does not directly lead to a shock risk in an IT system, only second fault. The system is arranged to warn staff via an alarm system that there's been a first fault.


    So, keep shock risk still very low (and remember there's increased supplementary local equipotential bonding requirements in Group 1 and Group 2 medical locations), whilst ensuring continuity of supply through a first fault.
  • 0
    gkenyon:

    And that's why an IT system is used ... "first fault" does not directly lead to a shock risk in an IT system, only second fault. The system is arranged to warn staff via an alarm system that there's been a first fault.


    So, keep shock risk still very low (and remember there's increased supplementary local equipotential bonding requirements in Group 1 and Group 2 medical locations), whilst ensuring continuity of supply through a first fault.


    Thanks,

                  the more questions that I read and research, the more I learn.


    Z.


  • 0
    There are some things it is safer not to turn off - you can imagine that if some conductive bodily fluid has leaked into some life support kit, it is much better if the alarm goes off, but the pumps keep turning and the air keeps flowing until the kit can be swapped out. And rather like your transformer coupled shaver socket, on an IT supply you can touch either one of the live poles, and not much happens. Of course touching both at once is still a problem!!

    You do need to arrange things so the IT fault detection is not covering more than it should, as that increases the risk of unwanted alarms, und uncertainty about what needs to be fixed, so things that are not important, like a reading lamp or sockets in the corridor should not normally be on the same circuit,and the sensing zones are normally quite small. The earths should be at the same voltage though so as simultaneous contact to equipment with metal legs or handles is quite likely, and the whole intention is to minimise the shock risks and keep the power on.


    A similar do or die thinking drives the supplies to fire sprinkler pumps being on what would normally be seen as an oversized fuse - who cares if it the motor running a bit stiff  and will burn out and stop working in half an hour, if the building is on fire and water stops, then it is far more than the cost of that new pump that will be needed, so keep pumping for now.


    Mike.

Community Rules & Guidelines