| (I) Fail-safe installation. Smoke dampers shall close on activation of the fire alarm system by smoke detectors installed and located as required by National Fire Protection Association 72, National Fire Alarm Code, 2002 edition (NFPA 72), Chapter 8; NFPA 90A, Chapter 6; and NFPA 101, §18.3.7; the fire sprinkler system; and upon loss of power. Smoke dampers shall not close by fan shutdown alone unless it is a part of an engineered smoke removal system. (II) Interconnection of air handling fans and smoke dampers. Air handling fans and smoke damper controls may be interconnected so that closing of smoke dampers will not damage the ducts. (III) Frangible devices. Use of frangible devices for shutting smoke dampers is not permitted. (ix) Acceptable damper assemblies. Only fire damper and smoke damper assemblies integral with sleeves and listed for the intended purpose shall be acceptable. (x) Duct access doors. Unobstructed access to duct openings in accordance with NFPA 90A, §4.3.4, shall be provided in ducts within reach and sight of every fire damper, smoke damper and smoke detector. Each opening shall be protected by an internally insulated door which shall be labeled externally to indicate the fire protection device located within. (xi) Restarting controls. Controls for restarting fans may be installed for convenient fire department use to assist in evacuation of smoke after a fire is controlled, provided that provisions are made to avoid possible damage to the system because of closed dampers. To accomplish this, smoke dampers shall be equipped with remote control devices. (xii) Make-up air. If air supply requirements in Table 3 of §133.169(c) of this title do not provide sufficient air for use by exhaust hoods and safety cabinets, filtered make-up air shall be ducted to maintain the required air flow direction in that room. Make-up systems for hoods shall be arranged to minimize short circuiting of air and to avoid reduction in air velocity at the point of contaminant capture. (4) General piping systems and plumbing fixture requirements. All piping systems and plumbing fixtures shall be designed and installed in accordance with the requirements of the National Standard Plumbing Code Illustrated published by the National Association of Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors (PHCC), 2003 edition, and this paragraph. The National Standard Plumbing Code may be obtained by writing or calling the PHCC at the following address or telephone number: Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors, P.O. Box 6808, Falls Church, VA 22046; telephone (800) 533-7694. (A) Piping systems. (i) Water supply systems. Water service pipe to point of entrance to the building shall be brass pipe, copper tube (not less than type M when buried directly), copper pipe, cast iron water pipe, galvanized steel pipe, or approved plastic pipe. Domestic water distribution system piping within buildings shall be brass pipe, copper pipe, copper tube, or galvanized steel pipe. Piping systems shall be designed to supply water at sufficient pressure to operate all fixtures and equipment during maximum demand. (I) Valves. Each water service main, branch main, riser, and branch to a group of fixtures shall be equipped with accessible and readily identifiable shutoff valves. Stop valves shall be provided at each fixture. (II) Backflow preventers. Backflow preventers (vacuum breakers) shall be installed on hose bibbs, laboratory sinks, janitor sinks, bedpan-flushing attachments, autopsy tables, and on all other fixtures to which hoses or tubing can be attached. (III) Flushing valves. Flush valves installed on plumbing fixtures shall be of a quiet operating type, equipped with silencers. (IV) Capacity of water heating equipment. Water heating equipment shall have sufficient capacity to supply water for clinical, dietary and laundry use at the temperatures and amounts specified in Table 5 of §133.169(e) of this title. (V) Water temperature measurements. Water temperatures shall be measured at hot water point of use or at the inlet to processing equipment. (VI) Water storage tanks. Domestic water storage tank(s) shall be fabricated of corrosion-resistant metal or lined with noncorrosive material. When potable water storage tanks (hot and cold) are used, the water shall be used and replenished. Water shall not be stored in tanks for future use unless the water is tested weekly for contaminates/bacteria. (VII) Hot water distribution. Water distribution systems shall be arranged to provide hot water at each hot water outlet at all times. (VIII) Emergency water supply. Emergency potable water storage facilities shall be provided. The storage capacity shall not be less than 500 gallons or 12 gallons per licensed patient bed, whichever is greater. Capacity of hot water storage tanks may be included as part of the required emergency water capacity when valves and piping systems are arranged to make this water available at all times. When bottle water is used in lieu of water storage facilities, the hospital shall maintain and ensure the required amount of bottled water supply on hand at all times, maintain an inventory record which reflects the rotation and replacement of expired bottled water, and have adequate storage space on site that is readily accessible by staff in the event of an emergency. The hospital shall ensure the continued availability and delivery of bottled water until the emergency situation has concluded. (IX) Purified water supply system. Purified water distribution system piping shall be task specific and include, but not necessarily be limited to, Polypropylene (PP), Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) or Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) pipe. Final installed purified water system piping assemblies shall be UL approved and fully comply with applicable American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Fire Resistant/Smoke Density requirements. The applicable documents are available from ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA, 19428-2959. (X) Dead-end piping. Dead-end piping (risers with no flow, branches with no fixture) shall not be installed. In any renovation work, dead-end piping shall be removed. Empty risers, mains and branches installed for future use are permitted. (ii) Fire sprinkler systems. Fire sprinkler systems shall be provided in hospitals as required by NFPA 101, §18.3.5. All fire sprinkler systems shall be designed, installed, and maintained in accordance with the requirements of NFPA 13, and shall be certified as required by §133.168(c)(1)(C) of this title (relating to Construction, Inspections, and Approval of Project). (iii) Nonflammable medical gas and clinical vacuum systems. Nonflammable medical gas and clinical vacuum system installations shall be designed, installed and certified in accordance with the requirements of NFPA 99, §5.1 for Level I systems and the requirements of this clause. (I) Outlets. Nonflammable medical gas and clinical vacuum outlets shall be provided in accordance with Table 6 of §133.169(f) of this title. (II) Installer qualifications. All installations of the medical gas piping systems shall be done only by, or under the direct supervision of a holder of a master plumber license or a journeyman plumber license with a medical gas piping installation endorsement issued by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners. (III) Installer tests. Prior to closing of walls, the installer shall perform an initial pressure test, a blowdown test, a secondary pressure test, a cross-connection test, and a purge of the piping system as required by NFPA 99. (IV) Qualifications for conducting verification tests and inspections. Verification testing shall be performed and inspected by a party, other than the installer, installing contractor, or material vendor. Testing shall be conducted by a registered medical gas system verifier and technically competent and experienced in the field of medical gas and vacuum pipeline testing and meeting the requirements of the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) Personnel Standard 6030, Professional Qualifications Standard for Medical Gas Systems. The document published by ASSE Personnel Standard 6030, Professional Qualifications Standard for Medical Gas Systems as referenced in this rule may be obtained by writing or calling The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) at ASSE International Office, 901 Canterbury, Suite A, Westlake, Ohio 44145, telephone (440) 885-3040. (V) Verification tests. Upon completion of the installer inspections and tests and after closing of walls, verification tests of the medical gas piping systems, the warning system, and the gas supply source shall be conducted. The verification tests shall include a cross-connection test, valve test, flow test, piping purge test, piping purity test, final tie-in test, operational pressure tests, and medical gas concentration test. Cont'd... |
