Scope

1.1 This Standard specifies safety requirements for pipelines for medical gases, medical vacuum, medical support gases, and anaesthetic gas scavenging systems in health care facilities, both public and private. It applies to all facilities providing health care services, regardless of type, size, location, or range of services, including, but not limited to
a) acute care hospitals;
b) in-patient continuing care hospitals;
c) long-term care facilities;
d) community-based providers;
e) leased/rental suites in office buildings; and
f) ambulatory and outpatient care clinics (e.g., day surgery, endoscopy clinics, dentists' offices, and doctors' offices).

1.2 This Standard is intended for use by anyone involved in the design, installation, commissioning and testing, documentation, operation, and maintenance of pipelines for medical gases, medical vacuum, medical support gases, and anaesthetic gas scavenging systems. The requirements cover
a) the design of systems to ensure the continuous supply of gas or vacuum in normal condition or in single fault condition;
b) the selection of materials and components;
c) the non-interchangeability of equipment between different gas systems and services;
d) the cleanliness of materials and components and of the completed system;
e) installation procedures for supply systems and pipelines;
f) the configuration of system components;
g) control, monitoring, and alarm systems;
h) the markings and information to be supplied by the manufacturer or installer;
i) contaminant testing of pipelines;
j) the final testing of each medical gas pipeline prior to its use in patient care to ensure that it contains only the specified gas; and
k) maintenance and ongoing verification.

1.3 This Standard applies to pipeline systems for
a) medical gases or medical gas mixtures, including
i) oxygen USP;
ii) oxygen 93 USP;
iii) medical air USP;
iv) nitrous oxide USP;
v) carbon dioxide USP;
vi) helium USP;
vii) oxygen USP/nitrous oxide USP mixtures;
viii) helium USP/oxygen USP mixtures; and
ix) other medical gases;
b) medical support gases, including
i) instrument air; and
ii) nitrogen NF;
c) medical vacuum; and
d) anaesthetic gas scavenging systems (AGSS).

1.4 This Standard does not provide specific requirements for plume evacuation systems (PES) that is part of an overall medical gas pipeline distribution system. Informative guidance is provided in Annex R.