Okla. Admin. Code § 310:615-5-9

Current through Vol. 42, No. 7, December 16, 2024

Section 310:615-5-9 - Mechanical requirements

(a)General.

(1) Prior to completion and acceptance of the facility, all mechanical systems shall be tested, balanced, and operated to demonstrate to the design engineer or his/her representative that the installation and performance of these systems conform to the requirements of the plans and specifications. Test results shall be documented for maintenance files.

(2) Upon completion of the installation contract, the owner shall be furnished with a complete set of manufacturer's operating, maintenance, and preventive maintenance instructions, and parts list with numbers and description for each piece of equipment. Operating staff personnel shall be provided with instruction in the operational use of systems and equipment as required.

(b)Thermal and acoustical insulation.

(1) Thermal and acoustical insulation shall be provided to conserve energy, protect personnel, prevent vapor condensation and reduce noise and vibration for the following within the building:

(A) Boilers, smoke breaching, and stacks.

(B) Steam supply and condensate return piping.

(C) Hot-water piping above 180^o F. (82^o C.) and all hot-water heaters, generators, and convertors.

(D) Hot-water piping above 125^o F. (52^o C.) which is exposed to contact by patients.

(E) Chilled water refrigerant, other process piping and equipment operating with fluid temperatures below ambient dew point.

(F) Water supply and drainage piping on which condensation may occur.

(G) Air ducts and casings with outside surface temperature below ambient dew point.

(H) Domestic hot water piping, water heaters, tanks, generators and converters.

(I) Heating, ventilating, air conditioning and air-handling duct systems (including ducts, plenums and casings) with surface temperatures 9^o F. (5^o C.) above or below the ambient dry-bulb or dew-point temperatures.

(J) Other piping ducts, and equipment as necessary to maintain the efficiency of the systems.

(2) Insulation may be omitted from hot-water and steam-condensate piping not subject to contact by patients when such insulation is unnecessary for preventing excessive system heat loss or excessive heat gain.

(3) Insulation on cold surfaces shall include an exterior vapor barrier.

(4) Insulation, including finishes and adhesives on the exterior surfaces of ducts, pipes, and equipment, shall have a flame-spread rating of 25 or less and a smoke-developed rating of 150 or less as determined by an independent testing laboratory in accordance with ASTM Standard E 84. (See Section 310:615-5-9(b) (5) for exception.)

(5) Linings in air ducts and equipment shall meet the Erosion Test Method described in Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc., Publication No. 181. These linings, including coatings and adhesives, and insulation on exterior surfaces of pipes and ducts in building spaces used as air-supply plenums, shall have a flame-spread rating of 25 or less and a smoke-developed rating of 50 or less as determined by an independent testing laboratory in accordance with ASTM Standard E 84.

(6) Duct linings shall not be used in systems supplying operating room and recovery room units unless terminal filters of at least 90 percent efficiency are installed downstream of linings.

(7) Asbestos insulation shall not be used in health facilities.

(8) Existing accessible insulation within facilities to be modernized shall be inspected, repaired and/or replaced.

(c)Steam and hot-water systems.

(1)Boilers. Boilers shall have the capacity, based upon the net ratings published by the Hydronics Institute, to supply the normal requirements of all systems and equipment.

(2)Valves. Supply and return mains and risers of heating and steam systems shall be equipped with valves to isolate the various sections of each system. Each piece of equipment shall have valves at the supply and return ends. Vacuum condensate returns need not be valved at each piece of equipment.

(d)Air conditioning, heating, and ventilating systems.

(1) Air conditioning, heating and ventilating systems shall comply with Appendix E of this Chapter. Filter efficiency requirements are contained in Appendix F of this Chapter. The systems shall be designed to provide the following temperatures and humidities in the areas in the appendices. For all other occupied areas a minimum design temperature of 75^o F. (24^o C.) at winter-design conditions shall be assumed.

(2) All air-supply and air-exhaust systems shall be mechanically operated. All fans serving exhaust systems shall be located at the discharge end of the system. The ventilation rates shown in Appendix E of this Chapter shall be considered as minimum acceptable rates and shall not be construed as precluding the use of higher ventilation rates.

(A) Outdoor intakes shall be located as far as practical but not less than 25prime;-0Prime; from exhaust outlets of ventilating systems, combustion equipment stacks, medical-surgical vacuum systems, plumbing vents stacks, or from areas which may collect vehicular exhaust and other noxious fumes. The bottom of outdoor air intakes serving central systems shall be located as high as practical but not less than 6Prime;-0Prime; above ground level, or if installed above the roof, 3prime;-0Prime; above the roof level.

(B) The ventilation systems shall be designed and balanced to provide the pressure relationship as shown in Appendix E of this Chapter.

(C) All air supplied to operating rooms shall be delivered at or near the ceiling of the area served, and all exhaust air from the area shall be removed near floor level. At least two exhaust outlets shall be used in all operating rooms.

(D) The bottoms of ventilation openings shall be not less than 3Prime; above the floor of any room.

(E) Corridors shall not be used to supply air to or exhaust air from any room, except that air from corridors may be used to ventilate bathrooms, toilet rooms, janitors' closets, and small electrical or telephone closets opening directly onto corridors.

(F) All central ventilation or air-conditioning systems shall be equipped with filters having efficiencies no less than those specified in Appendix F of this Chapter. Where two filter beds are required, Filter Bed No. 1 shall be located upstream of the air-conditioning equipment, and Filter Bed No. 2 shall be downstream of the supply fan, any recirculating spray-water systems, and water-reservoir type humidifiers.

(i) Where only one filter bed is required, it shall be located upstream of the air-conditioning equipment unless an additional pre-filter is employed. In this case, the pre-filter shall be upstream of the equipment, and the main filter may be located farther downstream.

(ii) All filter efficiencies shall be average atmospheric dust-spot efficiencies tested in accordance with ASHRAE Standard 52-68.

(iii) Filter frames shall be durable and carefully dimensioned and shall provide an airtight fit with the enclosing duct work. All joints between filter segments and the enclosing duct work shall be gasketed or sealed to provide a positive seal against air leakage.

(iv) A manometer shall be installed across each filter bed serving sensitive areas or central-air systems.

(G) Air-handling duct systems shall meet the requirements of NFPA Standard 90A, except that sensitive-area duct systems shall comply with Section 310:615-5-9(b) (6).

(H) The ventilation system for anesthesia-storage rooms shall conform to the requirements of NFPA Standard 56A, including the gravity option. The mechanically operated air systems required of Section 310:615-5-9(d) (2) is optional in this room only.

(e)Plumbing and other piping systems. All plumbing systems shall be designed and installed in accordance with the requirements of PHCC National Standard Plumbing Code, Chapter 14, "Medical Care Facility Plumbing Equipment."

(1)Plumbing fixtures.

(A) The material used for plumbing fixtures shall be of nonabsorbable acid-resistant material.

(B) The water-supply spout for lavatories and sinks required in patient-care areas shall be mounted so that its discharge point is a minimum distance of 5Prime; above the rim of the fixture. All fixtures used by medical and nursing staff and all lavatories used by patients and food handlers shall be systems trimmed with valves which can be operated without the use of hands. Where blade handles are used for this purpose, they shall not exceed 4-1/2Prime; in length, except that handles on scrub sinks and clinical sinks shall be not less than 6Prime; long.

(C) Clinical sinks shall have an integral trap in which the upper portion of a visible trap seal provides a water surface.

(2)Water-supply systems.

(A) Systems shall be designed to supply water at sufficient pressure to operate all fixtures and equipment during maximum-demand periods.

(B) Each water-service main, branch main, riser, and branch to a group of fixtures shall be valved. Stop valves shall be provided at each fixture.

(C) Back flow preventors (vacuum breakers) shall be installed on hose bibbs, laboratory sinks, janitors' sinks, bedpan flushing attachments, autopsy tables, and on all other fixtures to which hoses or tubing can be attached.

(D) Flush valves installed on plumbing fixtures shall be of a quiet-operating type, equipped with silencers.

(E) Water-distribution systems shall be arranged to provide hot water at each hot-water outlet at all times. Hot water at shower, bathing, and hand-washing facilities shall not exceed 110^o F. (43^o C.).

(3)Drainage systems.

(A) Floor drains shall not be installed in operating rooms.

(B) Building sewers shall discharge into a community-sewerage system. Where such a system is not available, a facility providing sewage treatment must conform to applicable local and State regulations.

(4)Medical gases. Nonflammable medical gas system installations shall be in accordance with the requirements of NFPA 56A and 56F. See Appendix G of this Chapter for rooms which require station outlets.

(5)Suction. Clinical vacuum (suction) system installations shall be in accordance with the requirements of Compressed Gas Association Pamphlet No. P-2.1. See Appendix G of this Chapter contains for rooms which require station outlets.

(6)Service outlets. Service outlets for central housekeeping vacuum systems, if used, shall not be located within operating rooms.

Okla. Admin. Code § 310:615-5-9

Revoked and reenacted at 9 Ok Reg 2021, eff 6-11-92