Uniquely Qualified for Surgical Boom Testing and Service
GasMedix is uniquely qualified to do articulating boom inspections. GasMedix representatives specialize in articulating boom and column repairs and are credentialed as medical gas system verifiers. We work on all common manufacturers such as Stryker, Berchtold, Maquet, Getinge, Heraus, Trumpf, and Skytron.
NFPA 99 2012 states that any person, either on staff or outside service provider, that performs work on the medical gas system shall hold an ASSE 6040 or ASSE 6030 credential and anyone working on ceiling booms will require an ASSE 6040 and proper training on surgery boom repair.
GasMedix service technicians are trained on articulating boom testing and hold ASSE 6040 and ASSE 6030 credentials. GasMedix can also provide 6040 training for hospital staff. A GasMedix 6050 instructor can provide a program to train hospital staff on articulated boom repair, review medical gas PMs and provide reporting documentation in a format easily recognizable by CMS, Joint Commission, HFAP, DMI, and state surveyors.
NFPA Code Requirement
In January 2012, NFPA 99 2012 was published. Wherein there is a new code for ceiling booms that house flexible medical gas hoses. The requirement is that each boom shall be leak tested and the hoses shall be visually inspected. The frequency of this test will be based on the manufacturers recommendation or the facilities risk assessment but not less than every 18 months.
Reasons to Test
The reasoning behind this new requirement is that articulated boom installations utilize an interface plate above the ceiling where the flexible hoses connect to the piped gases. When flexible hoses become brittle and leak, those gases go into the interstitial ceiling space. When the gas is oxygen, it becomes an oxygen enriched environment and has on occasion, been associated with ceiling fires. When the leak is nitrous oxide, it can result in elevated levels in the OR that exceed the 25 ppm recommended by NIOSH.
SURGICAL BOOMs benefits and complications
Surgical booms allow the nurse line of sight to the sterile field and the surgeon unrestricted access to the patient. But to do so, they have to pack a lot of infrastructure into a very compact space. This means delicate wiring and precise piping. After taking them apart and putting them back together hundreds of times, we’ve learned the best practices for inspecting and repairing surgical booms.
EQUIPMENT COLUMNS AND SUPPLY HEADS
Surgical booms come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and from several manufacturers. Some suppliers also refer to a boom as an equipment column or supply head. We work on all manufacturers including Hillrom, Steris, Stryker, Berchtold, Maquet, Trumpf and others.
Contact us about Boom Service or Boom Repairs below, or by calling us at 812-664-6176:
The Whole Story about Boom Testing…
GasMedix is uniquely qualified to do articulating boom inspections. GasMedix specializes in articulating boom and column repairs and are credentialed as medical gas system verifiers and medical gas system engineers.
In January 2012, NFPA 99 2012 was published. Wherein there is a new code for ceiling booms that house flexible medical gas hoses. The requirement is that each boom shall be leak tested and the hoses shall be visually inspected. The frequency of this test will be based on the manufacturers recommendation or the facilities risk assessment but not less than every 18 months.
The reasoning behind this new requirement is that articulated boom installations utilize an interface plate above the ceiling where the flexible hoses connect to the piped gases. When flexible hoses become brittle and leak, those gases go into the interstitial ceiling space. When the gas is oxygen, it becomes an oxygen enriched environment and has on occasion been associated with ceiling fires. When the leak is nitrous oxide, it can result in elevated levels in the OR that exceed the 25 ppm recommended by NIOSH.
Another requirement of the NFPA 99 2012 is that any person, either on staff or outside service provider, that work on the medical gas system shall hold an ASSE 6040 card or equivalent. Therefore anyone working on ceiling booms will require an ASSE 6040 or equivalent and proper training on boom repair.
GasMedix service technicians are trained on articulating boom repair and hold ASSE 6040 credentials. GasMedix can also provide 6040 training for hospital staff. A GasMedix 6050 instructor can provide a program to train hospital staff on articulated boom repair, review medical gas PMs and provide reporting documentation in a format easily recognizable by CMS, Joint Commission, HFAP and other surveyors.
NFPA 99 2012 Boom Testing Code
5.1.14.2.3.2 Manufactured Assemblies Employing Flexible Connection(s) Between the User Terminal and the Piping System.
(A) Nonstationary booms and articulating assemblies, other than head walls utilizing flexible connectors, shall be tested for leaks, per manufacturer’s recommendations, every 18 months or at a duration as determined by a risk assessment.