NFPA 99 Compliance for Medical Vacuum Pumps
Medical vacuum pumps play an important role in hospitals and healthcare facilities as these specialized pieces of equipment generate and maintain a controlled source of vacuum that is used in procedures such as wound draining, surgeries and other patient care. Because they are used in patient treatment, medical vacuum pump designs must meet current safety standards and strict regulatory requirements, including the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 99 Health Care Facilities Code.
This blog will discuss the various types of medical vacuum pumps, as well as the requirements for the recently adopted 2024 edition of NFPA 99. However, it should be noted that NFPA 99 Health Care Facilities Code covers various systems relative to health care facilities (other than home care and veterinary care), including medical vacuum system design and installation.
While the guidelines and standards are intended to work together to create a complete package and must meet the requirements of the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) for the facility itself, this blog will address only the very basics of NFPA 99 compliance for medical vacuum pumps and does not include information about the overall medical vacuum system, piping, installation or facility design.
What is a Medical Vacuum Pump?
A medical vacuum pump is a device used in healthcare facilities to create a controlled source of vacuum for a variety of medical procedures including suctioning fluids during surgery, draining and treating wounds, laboratory procedures, collecting and removing fluids from lungs, removing mucus or other fluids from patient airways, assisting in patient breathing and other procedures.
Medical vacuums are components within a complete medical vacuum system that typically consists of the medical vacuum pump or multiple pumps, a receiver, a control panel and a network of tubing or piping that connects the pump to the receiver and the suction devices used in the procedure. All system components must fully comply with the recently adopted 2024 edition of NFPA 99.
Depending on the facility and the use, the medical vacuum system may be a small, portable system or a larger, stationary system. Within the system, the medical vacuum pump creates a negative pressure environment, which is transmitted through the tubing to the suction devices so that when applied to the patient’s body, it generates enough suction to remove fluids, contaminants or other substances from the body.
In large, stationary systems, such as those used in hospitals, the vacuum is typically available from wall inlets and is generated by running the specially designed, NFPA 99-compliant medical vacuum pump in a way that it sucks the gases out of the receiver tank and forces compressed air outside, leaving a vacuum in the receiver tank that connects to the house piping. In this type of system, the vacuum pump or pumps are in the basement or utility area of the facility.
While the main objective of medical vacuum pumps is to create a sufficient flow of vacuum at the required pressure, they must also be designed so that neither the patient nor the treatment provider encounters contaminants during the procedure.
Common Types of Medical Vacuum Pumps
The two most commonly used medical vacuum pumps include:
Claw Vacuum Pumps
These medical vacuum pumps feature two rotors that rotate continuously so that the rotors never meet with each other. The rotation moves gas from the suction side to the pressure side, generating vacuum power. The power compresses the gas and cool air is brought into the compression housing to reduce the temperature before exiting the pump. These pumps are oil-free, making them useful in healthcare settings, as they eliminate potential contamination.
Oil-Less Vane Pumps
These rotary vane pumps work via positive displacement. The pump forces a specific amount of gas from the inlet pressure section to its discharge. These medical vacuum pumps feature a series of vanes mounted to a rotor that turns within a cavity. Centrifugal force extends the vanes from their slots, creating compression cells. These pumps are oil-less and therefore reduce the risk of contamination.
Meeting NFPA 99 Standards for Medical Vacuum Pumps
Because medical vacuum pumps are used in the treatment of patients, they must be “medical-specific” vacuum pumps that carry an NFPA 99 certification, ensuring that they have met strict standards for medical-grade functionality and have been designed to ensure the safety of the patient and healthcare staff.
Per NFPA 99, medical vacuum pumps must be able to provide high flow and constant, uninterrupted negative pressure. The minimum allowable size is a duplex system where one vacuum pump can carry the entire load of the hospital or facility and a second pump, or a lag pump, provides 100% back up.
NFPA 99 compliance also includes requirements for:
- Negative pressure: The medical vacuum pump must provide constant, uninterrupted negative pressure.
- Materials: The medical vacuum pump and its lubricants, sealants and other materials must be inert to oxygen or other oxidizers.
- Instrumentation: The medical vacuum pump must have a sensor detects both oxygen and nitrous oxide.
- Alarms: The medical vacuum pump must have a local alarm that activates if monitored oxidizer levels exceed the limit.
This blog provides the most basic information on NFPA 99 compliance for medical vacuum pumps. To learn more about pump compliance or medical vacuum system compliance, please reach out to the experts at JHFOSTER today.