1

Scope

1.1

This Standard applies to medical gas piping systems for conducting nonflammable medical gases used for patient care in health care facilities. Included in this Standard are requirements pertaining to small systems such as those serving dental suites, as well as systems providing nonflammable medical gases to laboratories. Notes: (1) The manufacture, control, and distribution of medical gases is governed by the Food and Drugs Act of Canada. (2) A representative of the health care facility should be present during the receipt of all medical gas. For bulk supply deliveries, the representative accepts the certificate of compliance and identity and observes the delivery of the gas to the correct container.

1.2

Although this Standard is intended to apply to new systems, consideration has also been given to existing systems especially with respect to repairing, adding to, and/or otherwise modifying such systems. Requirements and recommendations pertaining exclusively to existing systems have been included in this Standard as a result of these considerations (see Part VIII).

1.3

Medical gas piping systems covered in this Standard are those for (a) oxygen; (b) nitrous oxide; (c) medical air; (d) nitrogen; (e) carbon dioxide; (f) helium; (g) any mixture of the foregoing; and (h) medical vacuum systems.

The requirements of this Standard apply to all of the above systems unless otherwise noted. Note: The requirements of this Standard may be used as a guide for piping systems for other nonflammable medical gases, but additional requirements may be necessary. These will be considered for i nclusion in this Standard when such a gas comes into general use.

1.4

Patient care is intended to include any therapeutic, diagnostic, prophylactic, and/or instrumentation application.

1.5

This Standard contains the following eight parts:

Part I - contains requirements relating to the construction and performance of medical gas piping systems (see Clauses 3 to 6);

Part II - contains requirements relating to the installation of med ical gas piping systems (see Clauses 7 to 10);

Part III - contains requirements relating to the certification of medical gas piping systems (see Clauses 11 and 12);

Part IV - contains requirements relating to the maintenance of medical gas piping systems (see Clauses 13 and 14);

Part V - contains requirements relating to the testing of medical gas piping systems (see Clause 15);

Part VI - contains special requirements relating to small non- hospital based oxygen and nitrous oxide systems (see Clauses 16 to 20);

Part VII - contains requirements relating to laboratories (see Clause 21); and

Part VIII - contains requirements relating to existing systems (see Clauses 22 to 25).

1.6

This Standard does not apply to veterinary and animal research facilities; however it recommends that aspects of it, particularly those regarding safety, be incorporated in the design, construction, and installation of piping systems in these facilities. It is further recommended that these systems be tested and verified by qualified testing agencies.

1.7

With the exception of pipe sizes, this Standard is written in SI (metric) units. Values given in parentheses are for information only. Notes: (1) Pipe sizing expressed in inches has been retained since the practice continues to be consistent with that of the construction industry. Appendix B outlines the actual dimensions involved. (2) Pressures in units of kPa (psi) are specified as gauge values in this Standard.