Healthcare Emergency Power Supply Systems. Maintenance and Testing

Transcription

1 Healthcare Emergency Power Supply Systems Maintenance and Testing

2 Maintenance and Testing NFPA 110, NFPA 110, The routine maintenance and operational testing program shall be based on all of the following: Manufacturer s recommendations Instruction manuals Minimum requirement of this chapter The authority having jurisdiction This paragraph is essentially the genesis of all maintenance and testing (M/T) protocols. Why? Because while other standards are concerned with maintenance and testing, all refer back to NFPA 110, and paragraph marks the beginning. Paragraph is just one sentence in length, but what does it really mean? We think it means that the final authority is the manufacturer and what is contained in its equipment manuals.

3 Manuals, Special Tools and Spare Parts NFPA 110, 8.2 The subject matter covered in NFPA 110 section 8.2 may seem mundane, focusing solely on having manuals, tools and spare parts on hand; it s only when you are in the middle of a natural disaster that you and your contractor appreciate having those parts and manuals that enable life saving repairs to be made while you defend in place.

4 NFPA 110, NFPA 110, At least two sets of instruction manuals for all major components of the EPSS shall be supplied by the manufacturer(s) for the EPSS and shall contain the following: A detailed explanation of the operation of the system Instructions for routine maintenance Detailed instructions for repair of the EPS and other major components of the EPSS An illustrated parts list and part numbers Illustrated and schematic drawings of electrical wiring systems, including operating and safety devices, control panels, instrumentation, and annunciators.

5 NFPA 110, NFPA 110, For Level 1 systems, instruction manuals shall be kept in a secure, convenient location, one set near the equipment, and the other set in a separate location. This paragraph should get you thinking, Do we know where our manuals are? Manuals have a way of disappearing and being unavailable at the time they are most needed. Thus one set should be kept under lock and key; for the other set, use a sign out method.

6 NFPA 110, NFPA 110, Special tools and testing devices necessary for routine maintenance shall be available for use when needed. The list of equipment for the normal EPSS installation is relatively short. The equipment list should include (but is not restricted to): Hydrometer or Refractometer Battery filler container Distilled water Radiator pressure cap tester Digital voltmeter

7 NFPA 110, NFPA 110, Replacement for parts identified by experience as high mortality items shall be maintained in a secure location(s) on the premises. NFPA 110, Consideration shall be given to stocking spare parts as recommended by the manufacturer. High mortality items and spare parts are broad terms and stocking these parts should be discussed with your contractor since some items have limited shelf life. At the very least you should stock the items normally replaced during an annual maintenance procedure, such as all air, oil and fuel filters. (Refer to NFPA 8.2.2)

8 NFPA 110, NFPA 110, The EPSS shall be maintained to ensure to a reasonable degree that the system is capable of supplying service within the time specified for the type and for the time duration specified for the class. If you are operating an acute care facility or other health care occupancy deemed to be a Type 1, 2 or 3 installation by NFPA 99, and , this paragraph states emphatically that your Life Safety and Critical branches will be on line within 10 seconds (Type 10) of a power outage and will be able to operate without refueling for a period of time established by the AHJ.

9 Protocols NFPA 110, NFPA 110, can be broken down into three issues: Maintenance Maximum time allowable without electricity Period of time the EPSS must be able to operate Maintenance should be performed according to NFPA 110, 8.1 following to the letter the manufacturer s recommendations. The maximum time period of 10 seconds before the EPSS kicks in applies no matter what the circumstance, and without exception. Remember NFPA 110, states that you should consider an alternate source if the permanent alternate source is out of commission. On top of this, the lockout provisions of add another degree of complication, making proper planning crucial to ensure patient and staff safety. Jurisdictions vary from 24 to 96 hours of fuel required to be stored on site. Your mission is to defend in place regardless of the source of power interruption--external or internal, for a period of time that exceeds the time required for a truck to bring fresh fuel. Keeping spare parts on hand could also be the factor that saves the day.

10 When to start your M/T program? NFPA 110, NFPA 110, A routine maintenance and operational testing program shall be initiated immediately after the EPSS has passed acceptance tests or after completion of repairs that impact the operational reliability of the system. Two time periods are mentioned here. The first: immediately after someone verifies the machine is ready for duty; and the second, just after someone has repaired one or more of the EPSS components. Assuming that acceptance testing is completed using the P.E. s specifications, manufacturer s recommendations and the minimum requirements of NFPA 110, and the machine is pronounced healthy, you are to proceed with the maintenance and testing program the next day as if the EPSS had been there for years. As far as the second time period immediately after repairs, forgoing an operational test after repairs have been made, even after a simple oil change is, in my opinion, flirting with danger. There are cases on record where simple repairs failed but they weren t noticed until the EPSS was needed for service. This is the reason a new paragraph, , was inserted in the 2002 Edition of NFPA 110.

11 NFPA 110, NFPA 110, The operational test shall be initiated at an automatic transfer switch and shall include testing of each EPSS component on which maintenance or repair has been performed, including the transfer of each automatic and manual transfer switch to the alternate power source, for a period of not less than 30 minutes under operating temperature.

12 NFPA 110, NFPA 110, A written schedule for routine maintenance and operational testing of the EPSS shall be established. This paragraph comprising only one sentence seems to offer quite a bit of latitude--until you find out what the AHJs have to say about what kind of schedule to write. This is where NFPA 110 s definition of Type (110, 4.3), Class (110, 4.2) and Level (110, 4.4) come into play.

13 Documentation If your facility is classified as a Type I or II installation as defined by NFPA 99, , you are a Type 10 (10 seconds maximum for the load side of the ATS s to be without acceptable power), Class X (which means the local AHJ, and the JCAHO in some cases, determines the amount of fuel you must have stored on site), Level 1 (where failure of the equipment to perform could result in loss of human life or serious injury). If your facility is a Type III, as defined by NFPA 99, you are a Type 10, Class X, Level 2 (where equipment failure is less critical to human life and safety).

14 Differences The only difference between the two classifications is the Level, which refers to application. To some this suggests there could be different maintenance and testing protocols depending on the installation s level, i.e., if human life is not at stake, then perhaps it is not as critical that tests be performed with the same degree of strictness and regularity as in Level 1 operations. This is faulty logic. Regardless of the application, the mechanical and electrical systems must be maintained according to manufacturer s recommendations to ensure the Life Safety and Critical Branch will be on line within the prescribed 10 seconds of a power outage. Your key concern is liability if the equipment does not provide power to the load terminals of the ATS s in 10 seconds or less.

15 Differences Continued Whatever your classification, therefore, use the manufacturer s recommendations to determine maintenance and testing schedules. The schedules in the appendix of NFPA 110 provide only guidelines for maintenance and testing and should not be used as the master protocol unless you are unable to locate the manufacturer s recommendations (NFPA 110, 8.1). Schedule your monthly load run between days from your last test during a time of the day that will produce the highest load possible with the least amount of complaining from medical staff. Note: The only paragraphs in NFPA 99 which address maintenance of Type I and II alternate power sources are and , both of which refer all maintenance and testing to NFPA 110.

16 NFPA 110, NFPA 110, A permanent record of the EPSS inspections, tests, exercising, operation, and repairs shall be maintained and readily available. NFPA 110, The permanent record shall include the following: The date of the maintenance report Identification of the servicing personnel Notation of any unsatisfactory condition and the corrective action taken, including parts replaced Testing of any repair for the time as recommended by the manufacturer. Note: The term written was replaced with the term permanent to allow computer-generated reports.

17 You are the Utility of Record NFPA 99, NFPA 99, : Record keeping: A written record of inspection, performance, exercising period, and repairs shall be regularly maintained and available for inspection by the authority having jurisdiction". Additional documents such as rental agreements for EPSS equipment and fuel supplier agreements need to be renewed/updated each year. (Note: For liability reasons, make sure someone in authority at the distributorship has inked your contract.) Remember that in case of external or internal power failure of the normal source, the hospital takes on the responsibility of being the utility of record. Making this fact clear to the legal staff and senior management of your facility will often bring about the necessary change in their attitude concerning the importance of EPSS reliability--which may make your job easier. (Draw them a picture of patients being evacuated to nearby competitors--it happened not so long ago--because of a limited maintenance budget.)

18 NFPA 99, Note: NFPA 99, states that these records shall be made available for inspection by the authority having jurisdiction. The Joint Commission is very insistent on record keeping and failing to keep records will certainly lead to less than an approved program if Environment of Care sections aren t addressed in your protocols.

19 Running Without Load Load banking is usually prescribed when the engine or prime mover show signs of wet stacking, a symptom of the EPS not being loaded sufficiently. What actually is happening to an engine when it is exercised without a load, or allowed to exceed the manufacturer s recommended delay for a cooldown after shedding its load? Copyright 2013 MGI Systems, Inc.

20 Wet Stacking Wet stacking is only one of several conditions, which can develop. Detailing the undesirable conditions, which develop, provides a better understanding about why running without a load is a poor idea. NFPA 110, Emergency and Standby Power Systems, [now A.8.4.2], states Wet stacking is a field term indicating the presence of unburned fuel and/or carbon in the exhaust system. Its presence is readily indicated by the presence of black smoke during engine run operation.

21 Wet Stacking Continued Cummins Engine Company defines wet stacking as a condition that can occur when running an engine at a no-load or less than 30% of the unit s Standby Power Rating, that manifests itself in the accumulation of carbon particles, unburned fuel and condensed water and acids in the exhaust system due to incomplete combustion caused by low combustion temperatures. Carbon particles are deposited on top of the piston and in the injectors when fuel is not burned completely. Depending on the amount of time that the engine is run on low load, the engine may not be able to perform to its maximum rated load until these deposits have been burned off by operating the engine at higher loads.

22 Wet Stacking Continued Piston rings are designed for optimum sealing under elevated combustion pressures. When these pressures are not reached due to the application of low loads, the fuel injected into the combustion chamber tends to get between the cylinder wall and the piston rings causing dilution of the lubricating oil with fuel, with subsequent formation of acids and loss of lubricity. Since the lubricating oil does not reach the desirable operating temperature, condensation of water will likely form in the engine oil pan. According to Cummins, exercising the engine is required to maintain a coating of lubricating oil around engine bearings and to maintain corrosion inhibitor throughout the cooling system, therefore extending the generator package life.

23 Completion Congratulations on completing this module. Please refer to the My Account page for additional training presentations.