CAN/CSA-Z32.2-M89

1. Scope 1.1 Areas 1.1.1 This Standard applies within (a) patient care areas of hospitals; and (b) areas or spaces outside of hospitals which are intended to be used to provide patient diagnosis, treatment, or care, involving intentional electrical contact of any kind between the patient and medical electrical equipment. 1.1.2 This Standard does not apply to veterinary facilities, although its principles of electrical safety may prove useful in the design, construction, and operation of such facilities. 1.2 Electrical Equipment and Installation This Standard applies to (a) medical electrical equipment; (b) nonmedical electrical equipment; (c) patient-owned electrical devices; (d) electrical installations; and (e) the use and management of the equipment and installations in patient care areas. The electrical equipment may be portable or permanently connected. 1.3 Aspects of Electrical Safety This Standard deals principally with safety from the hazards of electric shock. Other aspects of electrical safety, such as interference with proper operation or fire, are also included. 1.4 Continuity of Electrical Power Supply This Standard does not include requirements for supplying power to electrical systems when the normal supply is interrupted (see CSA Standard Z32.4, Essential Electrical Systems for Hospitals). 1.5 Relationship to the Canadian Electrical Code, Part i The requirements of this Standard regarding installation criteria are supplementary to those stated in Sections 24 and 52 of the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I. While the 1986 edition of this Code is the latest available at the time of printing, this Standard has been prepared to be consistent with the sixteenth edition planned for release in 1990. Note: The Canadian Electrical code establishes the minimum requirements for a safe building electrical installation to supply utilization equipment in patient care areas, but does not state requirements for the number, arrangement, and circuit loading of branch circuits and receptacles required for the different procedures to be performed. Neither does it state requirements for the use and maintenance of such installations. This Standard (Z32.2) builds on the requirements of the Canadian Electrical Code and provides this additional information. 1.6 Medical Risks or Benefits The medical purposes, risks, or benefits of procedures or equipment are beyond the scope of this Standard as they are the professional responsibility of health care practitioners. This Standard does, however, offer general guidelines to ensure the safe use of electrically operated equipment. 1.7 In this Standard, "shall" indicates a mandatory requirement; "should" indicates a recommendation, or that which is advised but not mandatory. Notes accompanying clauses do not include mandatory or alternative requirements. The purpose of a note accompanying a clause is to separate from the text explanatory or informative material that is not properly a part of the Standard. Notes to figures and tables are considered to be part of the figure or table and are written as mandatory requirements.