# Medical gases for veterinary hospital



## Codegeek (Oct 28, 2011)

I tried doing a search for "veterinary" and got very few hits, so my apologies if this has been brought up before.

I'm working on a veterinary hospital.  I'm looking at it as a Group B.  However, they will be utilizing medical gases to perform surgeries.  I can't find anything in NFPA that says that the standard applies to humans versus animals.

Does anyone have any insight on this?

Thanks.


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## High Desert (Oct 28, 2011)

I believe medical gas would be the same as a regular medical facility. Oxygen and the likes are still the same hazard to the occupants.

Unless of course, the vets are also animals.


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## Codegeek (Oct 28, 2011)

I agree, I just want to make sure I'm not missing something!


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## Just John (Oct 28, 2011)

2009 IFC Section 3006 Medical Gas Systems applies to veterinary use if over the permited amout of gas type.


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## gbhammer (Oct 28, 2011)

The problem that I have always had with vet clinics is they do not like to put in clinical sinks and take no precautions for the solid waste that may go into the floor drains in kennel areas.


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## Codegeek (Oct 28, 2011)

Thanks Just John, I found the section.  I was looking in the IPC which references NFPA 99C.


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## north star (Oct 28, 2011)

** * * **

For "the floor drains in the kennel areas" issue:

From the `06 IPC, *Section 803 - SPECIAL WASTES:*

"*803.2 Neutralizing device required for corrosive wastes. *

Corrosive liquids, spent acids or other harmful chemicals that destroy or

injure a drain, sewer, soil or waste pipe, or create noxious or toxic fumes

or interfere with sewage treatment processes *shall not be discharged into*

*the plumbing system without being thoroughly diluted, *neutralized or

treated by passing through an approved dilution or neutralizing device.

Such devices shall be automatically provided with a sufficient supply of

diluting water or neutralizing medium so as to make the contents

noninjurious before discharge into the drainage system........The nature

of the corrosive or harmful waste and the method of its treatment or

dilution *shall be approved prior to installation.*



** * * **


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## gbhammer (Oct 28, 2011)

Yep that is the section that vet clinics hate to comply with. They have every excuse in the world for why they should not have to comply: we clean everything up by hand and dispose of it properly, we do not keep animals here over night so we don't need to comply, we never even use those floor drains.....

My response to all of the excuses is always the same "Great no problem just remove the drains since you don't really need them."


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## Codegeek (Oct 28, 2011)

Thanks for the feedback on the plumbing for the sinks.

Does anyone have any insight on NFPA 99C, specific to veterinary hospitals?


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## gbhammer (Oct 28, 2011)

Sorry to run away from the op.


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## Codegeek (Oct 31, 2011)

gbhammer said:
			
		

> Sorry to run away from the op.


That's ok.  I'll make sure to include the concerns about the sinks with my findings.  Thanks!


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## Dr. J (Nov 1, 2011)

Yes, the IFC does reference NFPA 99. However, NFPA 99 specifically does NOT apply to veterinary clinics.  It is ONLY for gasses used for human respiration.  You do not want to be constrained with the multiple redundancies, emergency power, alarms, testing, etc requirements that are required for human life support.  Perhaps the clinic DESIRES to have these features, but they are not a code requirement.  IFC does mention veterinary clinics, so the requirements for the storage/manifold room (which are a human life safety issue) are applicable.


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## Codegeek (Nov 1, 2011)

Thank you Dr. J!


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## cda (Nov 2, 2011)

so Dr. J are you saying on a vet hospital that if there is a medical gas system that NFPA 99 does not apply??? even though IFC says shall comply with nfpa 99??


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## cda (Nov 2, 2011)

second question what is a """ 5.3.6.22.2    Warning systems shall have at least one single alarm panel in each treatment facility """

""""TREATMENT FACILITY""

is it

1. one building

or

2. each room in a building that uses medical gas?????


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## atomahutna (Nov 2, 2011)

2005 NFPA 99C

1.1 Scope

"The scope of this document is to establish criteria to minimize the hazards of fire, explosion and electricity in health care facilities providing services to *human beings*."


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## gbhammer (Nov 2, 2011)

Humans occupy vet clinics.

They may not be treated there but they are still there and life safety for them is still a factor, right?

The owner of the animal may not be getting gassed, but may very well be in the same room as his pet not to mention the human vet doing the gassing.


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## cda (Nov 2, 2011)

atomahutna said:
			
		

> 2005 NFPA 99C1.1 Scope
> 
> "The scope of this document is to establish criteria to minimize the hazards of fire, explosion and electricity in health care facilities providing services to *human beings*."


YES BUT,

 per IFC:

SECTION 3006

MEDICAL GAS SYSTEMS

3006.1 General. Compressed gases at hospitals and similar facilities

intended for inhalation or sedation including, but not

limited to, analgesia systems for dentistry, podiatry, veterinary

and similar uses shall comply with this section in addition to

other requirements of this chapter.

so if you do one of the above with medical gases  you shall comply with nfpa 99

 no matter what 99 says


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## gbhammer (Nov 2, 2011)

cda said:
			
		

> YES BUT, per IFC:
> 
> SECTION 3006
> 
> ...


Now that is the way I read it.


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## atomahutna (Nov 2, 2011)

"so if you do one of the above with medical gases you shall comply with nfpa 99

no matter what 99 says"


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## Dr. J (Nov 2, 2011)

> so Dr. J are you saying on a vet hospital that if there is a medical gas system that NFPA 99 does not apply??? even though IFC says shall comply with NFPA 99??


Yes, that is exactly what I am saying.  You ARE complying with NFPA 99 by reading the scoping statement, noting that there are no requirements for non-human animals and moving on.  In fact, medical gasses designed in accordance with NFPA 99 are *prohibited* from being used for non-(human) medical uses.  If you use a NFPA 99 Patient Medical Gas system on animals (or raising/lowering booms, blowing out endoscopes, lab research, etc) you would be in violation of NFPA 99.

More NFPA 99 excerpts:

(from the "origin and development" section, stating one of the modifications over the years):  (_4)  Revising Section 1-1 to reflect the intent that NFPA 99 applies only to facilities treating human beings_

(from the definitions): _3.3.143 Patient Medical Gas. Piped gases such as oxygen, nitrous oxide, helium, carbon dioxide, and medical air that are used in the application of human respiration and the calibration of medical devices used for human respiration. _



> Humans occupy vet clinics. They may not be treated there but they are still there and life safety for them is still a factor, right?
> 
> The owner of the animal may not be getting gassed, but may very well be in the same room as his pet not to mention the human vet doing the gassing.


Nothing in NFPA 99 addresses the visitor or doc in a patient room where the patient is getting gassed.  Like I said above, the IFC does include storage provisions, and therefore the life safety of the human occupants is indeed addressed.

It would be ridiculous for a code to require emergency power, highly redundant equipment, super clean piping, multiple alarms, zone valves, etc for non-human animals.  These requirements are meant for maintaining life support for people.


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## cda (Nov 2, 2011)

Put 99 has different "cats" 1,2,3,4


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## Paul Sweet (Nov 3, 2011)

Dr. J, better be careful what you say, or you'll get on PETA's hit list!


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## Larry15 (Mar 27, 2012)

Nice sharing.

I completely agree with you and i just want to make sure I'm not missing something special.

Santa Cruz veterinary clinic


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