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Line Isolation Monitor Testing in Los Angeles California
Isolated power systems (IPS) are an essential component of electrical safety in healthcare facilities. They are designed to provide an isolated power supply to critical patient care areas, reducing the risk of electrical shock and electrocution. An important part of maintaining the safety and reliability of IPS is regular testing of the system's line isolation monitor (LIM). BiomedRx, a leading provider of medical equipment maintenance services in Los Angeles, offers comprehensive IPS testing and LIM testing services to healthcare facilities across the region.
In this article, we will discuss the importance of IPS and LIM testing in healthcare facilities, the relevant standards and regulations, and the specific services offered by BiomedRx in the Los Angeles area.
Importance of Isolated Power System and Line Isolation Monitor Testing
Isolated power systems (IPS) are designed to provide a reliable and isolated power supply to critical patient care areas, such as operating rooms and intensive care units. The IPS is a secondary power supply, separate from the building's primary electrical system, which reduces the risk of electrical shock and electrocution. The IPS is typically supplied through a special isolation transformer, which provides electrical isolation between the primary and secondary windings.
However, like any electrical system, IPS can fail due to a variety of factors, including equipment malfunction, improper installation, and environmental factors. Regular testing of the IPS is necessary to ensure that it is functioning properly and providing the necessary level of electrical isolation.
The line isolation monitor (LIM) is a critical component of the IPS. The LIM continuously monitors the electrical isolation between the secondary windings of the isolation transformer and ground. If the isolation resistance falls below a certain threshold, the LIM will activate an alarm and/or shut off the power to the secondary circuit. This ensures that if a fault occurs, the fault current is limited and cannot cause electrical shock or electrocution.
Testing of the LIM is essential to ensure that it is functioning properly and providing the necessary level of protection. Regular testing of the LIM can identify potential problems before they become a safety hazard, and can help to prevent costly downtime due to electrical faults.
Relevant Standards and Regulations
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 99 - Health Care Facilities Code, is the most comprehensive source of information on the design, installation, and maintenance of electrical systems in healthcare facilities. NFPA 99 provides specific guidelines for the design and installation of IPS, as well as the testing and maintenance requirements for these systems.
The Joint Commission is another important regulatory agency that provides standards and guidelines for healthcare facilities. The Joint Commission requires that healthcare facilities comply with all applicable codes and standards, including NFPA 99, in order to maintain accreditation.
Specific Services Offered by BiomedRx
BiomedRx offers a comprehensive range of IPS testing and LIM testing services to healthcare facilities in the Los Angeles area. Our trained and certified technicians can perform a full range of tests, including:
LIM calibration testing: This test involves verifying that the LIM is functioning properly and providing the necessary level of protection. The technician will perform a series of tests to ensure that the LIM is responding appropriately to changes in the isolation resistance.
IPS testing: This test involves verifying that the IPS is providing the necessary level of electrical isolation. The technician will perform a series of tests to ensure that the IPS is functioning properly and providing the necessary level of protection.
Electrical safety inspections: This service involves a comprehensive inspection of all electrical systems in the healthcare facility, including the IPS. The technician will identify any potential safety hazards and make recommendations for corrective action.
BiomedRx is a healthcare technology solutions company. We provide medical equipment maintenance services to support healthcare providers and medical device manufacturers. We service both US government and civilian healthcare sectors. We specialize in the installation, repair, calibration, and preventive maintenance inspection of medical, scientific laboratory, and medical imaging equipment. We coordinate an international group of independent service organizations that perform engineering services on medical equipment. Through our network we provide nationwide and international field service support to medical device manufacturers, and comprehensive asset management programs to healthcare facilities. We develop custom maintenance management solutions, designed to minimize the cost and risks involved in medical equipment ownership, while maximizing the effectiveness of equipment operation and patient care.
Our mission is to provide healthcare technology solutions to all levels of civilian and government environments, including healthcare providers, medical device manufacturers, independent service organizations and biomedical equipment maintenance technicians. We accomplish this through service, consulting, and educational programs designed to meet the specific needs of our clients. We develop and execute custom asset management programs for healthcare facilities, and field service operations for medical equipment manufacturers. Nationwide and international service coverage is provided by our international network of independent service organizations that perform engineering services on medical, scientific laboratory, and medical imaging equipment.
Our primary value is people. Our team members, our clients, and the patients they serve. We value technology, and its ever-increasing ability to solve human problems. We especially value our ability to utilize technology in order to over-deliver on our service commitments. We value integrity, communication, and technological transparency.
Our biomedical equipment maintenance services include medical equipment installation, repair, calibration, preventive maintenance and electrical safety inspection. We service all modalities of diagnostic and therapeutic medical equipment, scientific laboratory equipment, medical imaging and information technology. Our principals are US Air Force trained BMET's (Biomedical Equipment Maintenance Technicians) who are capable of troubleshooting and repairing any medical device.
BiomedRx provides asset management services for hospitals and other healthcare providers. Our asset management program consists of:
Medical equipment repair and maintenance.
Inventory control and database maintenance.
Scheduling and procedures for Preventive Maintenance, Calibration, and Electrical Safety Inspection of all equipment under contract.
Four hour telephone response, and 24 hour in-person response on repair calls.
Management of outsourced service relationships.
Transitioning outsourced service to in-house responsibility.
Service training to in-house biomedical maintenance personnel.
Applications assistance and user maintenance training to equipment operators.
Impartial assistance in medical equipment purchasing decisions.
Cost savings over manufacturer service contracts and extended warranties.
Documentation to satisfy Joint Commission, state, and other regulatory requirements.
Maximum operational uptime of your medical equipment assets.
We also provide support for auxiliary systems, such as isolated power systems and line isolation monitors, which require annual testing and recertification.
Healthcare providers and organizations benefit greatly from our asset management program. Our program is designed to streamline your healthcare technology management profile, which improves medical equipment serviceability and saves the hospital money.
We accomplish this by establishing comprehensive database records of equipment inventory, service parts and literature, maintenance procedures and historical maintenance records. We them implement an in-house training program for hospital biomedical equipment maintenance technicians designed to empower them to assume maintenance responsibility for equipment for which maintenance is presently being outsourced. We facilitate the early cancellation and/or renegotiation of service contracts through our ability to provide first-call service response during equipment malfunctions. We guarantee a four-hour response time, and are usually capable of resolving emergency repairs without assistance. In the rare instances where service assistance is needed, the cost of these one-time calls is far less than the cost of an annual service contract.
Our comprehensive SQL database system maintains inventory control of your medical equipment, spare parts, service literature, specialized tools and test equipment. We maintain accurate and complete preventive maintenance procedures, PM schedules, and historical maintenance records.
BiomedRx provides annual inspection and recertification if isolated power systems and line isolation monitors. We perform a thorough inspection of your electrical system and line isolation monitor, and provide you with the documentation required to satisfy Joint Commission, NFPA99, and other regulatory requirements. We even provide video documentation of our services. If you have questions about our isolated power system inspection and recertification services, call us today at (424) 204-2382.
Here is a video abput our hospital isolated power system inspection services.
Lately there has been controversy in the hospital engineering community concerning the use of isolated power systems and the 2012 changes in the National Fire Protection Association standard, NFPA 99.
Section 3.3.89 of NFPA99 2012 defines an Isolated Power System as "A system comprising an isolation transformer or its equivalent, a line isolation monitor, and its ungrounded circuit conductors."
Section 3.3.9 of NFPA99 2012 defines a Line Isolation Monitor as "A test instrument designed to continually check the balanced and unbalanced impedance from each line of an isolated circuit to ground and equipped with a built-in test circuit to exercise the alarm without adding to the leakage current hazard." In an isolated power circuit, a ground fault would result in an alarm, but power would not be interrupted.
Section 3.3.184 of NFPA99 2012 defines a Wet Procedure Location as "The area in a patient care room where a procedure is performed that is normally subject to wet conditions while patients are present, including standing fluids on the floor or drenching of the work area, either of which condition is intimate to the patient or staff."
Section 6.3.2.2.1.2(C) of NFPA99 2012 addresses isolated power with regard to Critical Care Areas and states "Where used in locations such as critical care areas, isolated power panels shall be permitted in those locations."
Section 6.3.2.2.8 of NFPA99 2012 addresses Wet Procedure Locations.
Section 6.3.2.2.8.1 of NFPA99 2012 states "Wet procedure locations shall be provided with special protection against electric shock."
Section 6.3.2.2.8.4 of NFPA99 2012 states "Operating rooms shall be considered to be a wet procedure location, unless a risk assessment conducted by the health care governing body determines otherwise.
This is the most controversial section. A risk assessment by the health care governing body can in fact deem an operating room not to be a wet procedure location. This would be contingent on interpretation of the mopping of the floor which occurs between cases as "drenching", as defined in Section 3.3.89 above.
Section 6.3.2.2.8.6 of NFPA99 2012 states "The use of an isolated power system (IPS) shall be permitted as a protective means capable of limiting ground-fault current without power interruption. When installed, such a power system shall conform to the requirements of 6.3.2.6."
Section 6.3.2.2.8.7 of NFPA99 2012 states "Operating rooms defined as wet procedure locations shall be protected by either isolated power or ground fault circuit interrupters."
Section 6.3.2.2.9 of NFPA99 2012 addresses Isolated Power
Section 6.3.2.2.9.2 of NFPA99 2012 states "The system shall be permitted to be installed where it conforms to the performance requirements specified in 6.3.2.6.
Section 6.3.2.6.2.2 of NFPA99 2012 addresses Line Isolation Monitors
Section 6.3.2.6.3.2 of NFPA99 2012 states "The monitor shall be designed such that a green signal lamp, conspicuously visible in the area where the line isolation monitor is utilized, remains lighted when the system is adequately isolated from ground; and an adjacent red signal lamp and an audible warning signal (remote if desired) shall be energized when the total hazard current (consisting of possible resistive or capacitive leakage currents) from either isolated conductor to ground reaches a threshold value of 5.0 mA under normal line voltage conditions. The line isolation monitor shall not alarm for a fault hazard current of less than 3.7 mA.
This is interesting, as many of the Line Isolation Monitors still in use are older, often analog units that are set to alarm at only 2 mA. These units must be replaced immediately, as it is a violation of code to use them.
Section 6.3.3.3 of NFPA99 2012 addresses Performance Criteria and Testing for Isolated Power Systems.
Section 6.3.3.3.2 of NFPA99 2012 Line Isolation Monitor Tests states "The line isolation monitor (LIM) circuit shall be tested after installation, and prior to being placed in service, by successively grounding each line of the energized distribution system through a resistor whose value is 200 x V (ohms), where V equals measured line voltage. The visual and alarms shall be activated."
Section 6.3.4.1 of NFPA99 2012 addresses Maintenance and Testing of the Electrical System.
Section 6.3.4.1.4 of NFPA99 2012 states "The LIM circuit shall be tested at intervals of not more than 1 month by actuating the LIM test switch. For a LIM circuit with automated self-test and self-calibration capabilities, this test shall be performed at intervals of not more than 12 months. Actuation of the test switch shall activate both visual and audible alarm indicators.
Section 6.3.4.2 of NFPA99 2012 addresses Record Keeping.
Section 6.3.4.2.1.1 of NFPA99 2012 states "A record shall be maintained of the tests required by this chapter and associated repairs or modification.
Section 6.3.4.2.1.2 of NFPA99 2012 states "At a minimum, the record shall contain the date, the rooms or areas tested, and an indication of which items have met, or have failed to meet, the performance requirements of this chapter.
Section 6.3.4..2.2 of NFPA99 2012 Isolated Power System (Where Installed) states "A permanent record shall be kept of the results of each of the tests.
Here is another video about our isolated power system and line isolation monitor inspection services in accordance with NFPA 99.
BiomedRx maintains the highest standard of service, reporting and documentation in the healthcare industry. We perform the annual inspection of your isolated power systems, verify the operation/calibration of your line isolation monitors, and provide the necessary documentation to satisfy The Joint Commission and NFPA 99 requirements. In addition, we provide video documentation of all service visits. You can learn more about hospital isolated power distribution systems on a .PDF file you can download here.
Please find the reasons to keep Isolated Power in all Operating Rooms:
1. Reduced Shock Hazard
2. Continuity of Power
3. Line Noise Reduction, the transformer acts as an electrical filter.
4. Advance warning system of what their equipment condition is.
5. Reduced Fire Hazard
6. Extra level of protection will keep down liability claims.
Please watch this video about our isolated power system and line isolation monitor inspection and recertification services.
In addition to biomedical engineering and equipment maintenance services, BiomedRx now offers testing and certification of isolated power systems and line isolation monitors. BiomedRx can bring any healthcare facility into compliance with NFPA code requirements.
BiomedRx can perform the annual testing and re-certification of your system if it passes, and we can provide replacement or retrofitting of your system to bring it into compliance if it doesn't.
BiomedRx testing of isolated power systems exceeds the requirements of NFPA 99 6.3.3.3 and 6.3.4.2.2. Our testing service includes:
Testing of ungrounded isolated power systems and wiring.
A complete inspection of all devices for polarity.
Verification that all applicable sections of code requirements are being met.
Confirmation that the impedance to ground of both conductors of the isolated system exceeds 200,000 ohms when installed. Document what corrective action that needs to be completed to meet that standard.
Log voltage and millivolt readings for criteria for acceptability for new construction or existing rooms.
Line isolation monitors will be tested and all readings will be taken to make sure that they not only are working but working within the specifications of the code requirements from when they were installed.
Upon completion of testing, a technician shall meet with hospital medical and maintenance staff to explain the operation of isolated power systems; explain alarm procedures and answer any questions.
Periodic testing and logging for future test required by NFPA 99 will be explained to maintenance staff.
After all tests have been successfully completed, a written certification will show that all systems comply with codes, good installation practices and specifications. We will also provide written confirmation that the testing logbooks have been delivered to the hospital maintenance staff and that they are up to date.
Training: "Administrative authorities should ascertain that electric maintenance personnel are completely familiar with the function and proper operation of ungrounded electric circuits." For liability and operation, has your hospital personnel, that are now maintaining your Isolated Power Systems, been trained by a proper instructor? Many hospitals had training when the equipment was first installed but after many years those individuals are no longer with the hospital. BiomedRx can train your current maintenance staff on any manufacturer's isolated power systems. NFPA 99 10.5.8.1.1 states "The Health Care Facilities shall provide programs of continuing education for its personnel.
Watch this video about our isolated power system and line isolation monitor testing services.
BiomedRx services isolated power systems and line isolation monitors manufactured by:
Amsco
Auth
Bender
Crouse Hinds
Edwards
Electromagnetic Industries (EMI)
Federal Pacific
Federal Pioneer
General Electric
Hevi-Duty
Hill-Rom
Hospital Systems
Isotrol
Measurement Engineering Limited (MEL)
Post Glover
Russell & Stoll
Square D
Grainger
Schneider
Video about isolated power system and line isolation monitor testing services.
BiomedRx has isolated power system and line isolation monitor testing and service centers in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California (Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco), Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachussetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming and Puerto Rico.
Through the BiomedRx Institute, we provide medical equipment repair training to hospital biomedical equipment maintenance technicians. Our training is designed to reintegrate service responsibility for maintenance of such equipment as anesthesia, dialysis, laboratory, and medical imaging equipment from manufacturer service agreements. Our training has also been instrumental in helping biomed technicians obtain ICC certification.
Our on-site training is performed at the client's location, on the same equipment the hospital's technicians will be responsible for servicing. Healthcare facilities have achieved great savings through the cancelation of expensive manufacturer service contracts once the hospital's biomed staff is qualified to service the equipment previously under a service agreement. In-house biomed staff welcome the training, as it increases job security and professional competence, and can be undertaken without taking time off work, or paying for travel, lodging, or per diem.
Among our more popular training courses recently are:
Anesthesia Equipment maintenance training.
Isolated Power System and Line Isolation Monitor inspection and recertification.
Dialysis Equipment maintenance training.
If you are interested in learning more about BiomedRx on-site training services, call us today at (424) 204-2382 to schedule a free initial consultation.
BiomedRx offers consulting services to hospitals and other healthcare providers. We provide guidance in the implementation of medical equipment maintenance programs, in-house technical training, and healthcare information technology.
An outsourced field service solution.
BiomedRx offers an outsourced field service solution to manufacturers of medical and scientific laboratory equipment. This is especially valuable to new manufacturers and manufacturers located outside of the United States. Our services are designed to provide a full field service solution, including medical equipment installation, repair, calibration, preventive maintenance and electrical safety inspection, and applications assistance to equipment operators. Through our Service Network, we can provide field service coverage across the United States and in many other countries.
Independent medical equipment service organizations benefit from association with the BiomedRx Service Network. We provide an outsourced field service solution for medical equipment manufacturers and asset management programs for healthcare providers. Membership benefits include subcontracting opportunities in support of government, manufacturer, and healthcare provider contract relationships.
Healthcare facilities and medical equipment custodians who have not established a credit account with BiomedRx must pay a non-refundable fee of $150.00 before booking a service call. This is to cover the cost of the first hour of service and travel time, and to minimize the financial risk to BiomedRx. If you would like to book our medical equipment maintenance services for the first time, you can do so by clicking on the CashApp link to your left, and making a payment to BiomedRx of a minimum of $150.00. Call us with confirmation of payment to schedule your service call. Your deposit will be deducted from the cost of the service call.
BiomedRx Healthcare Technology Management services are competitively priced:
$150.00 per hour for biomedical equipment maintenance services, and travel.
$200.00 per our for dialysis equipment maintenance services.
$250.00 per hour for scientific laboratory equipment maintenance services.
$300.00 per hour for medical imaging (X-Ray) equipment maintenance services.
$350.00 per hour for anesthesia equipment maintenance services.
$450.00 per system for isolated power system inspection and recertification services.
Call us for special pricing arrangements on a per-project basis.
