Environment of Care (EC) (Critical Access Hospitals / Critical Access Hospitals)
Relocatable power taps - Definition
Publish | January 01, 0001
What is a Relocatable Power Taps (RPT)?
Relocatable power taps (RPT), sometimes called power strips, are not to be used with medical equipment in patient care areas. Medical equipment is used to diagnose, treat, or monitor a patient, and makes physical or electrical contact with the patient and/or transfers energy to or from the patient, and/or detects such energy transfer to or from the patient. This includes critical areas such as operating rooms, recovery areas, intensive care areas, and non-critical patient care areas such as patient rooms, diagnostic areas, exam areas. This applies regardless of whether the RPT is hospital grade or not. The exception is that in anesthetizing locations, NFPA 99-1999 Section 7-5.1.2.5 exception #2 does allow the use of power taps if they are part of the equipment assembly. Exception 3 allows for properly installed overhead power receptacles. RPT's are used to supply power to portable electric devices. They consist of an attachment plug with a flexible cord that terminates to an enclosure where one or more receptacles are mounted. They may include supplementary over-current protection, switches and indicator lights, surge protection capability, and in some cases connections for cable, communications, telephone or antenna. Relocatable power taps may not be used as a substitute for adequate electrical outlets in a facility. RPT’s may be used for non-patient care equipment such as computers/monitors/printers, and in areas such as waiting rooms, offices, nurse stations, support areas, corridors, etc. Precautions needed if RPT’s are used include: ensuring they are never “daisy-chained” (connecting one RPT to another), preventing cords from becoming tripping hazards; installing internal ground fault and over-current protection devices and using power strips that are adequate for the number and types of devices used. Overload on any circuit can potentially cause overheating and fire. The use of ground fault circuit interruption (GFCI) may be required in locations near water sources to prevent electrocution of the occupants. As of September 26, 2014, CMS, therefore The Joint Commission, allows organizations to use multi-outlet devices (relocatable power taps (RPTs)) in accordance with CMS S&C letter 14-46. The Categorical Waiver (CW) allows organization to use the 2012 edition of NFPA 99, which clarifies the criteria for power strip usage and expands the allowable applications in Chapter 10. Read the S&C letter carefully and invoke the CW in accordance with the stated directions. If the categorical waiver is not used, the requirements of NFPA 99 (1999 edition) 7-5.1.2.5 are applicable, where multi-outlets are allowed only in anesthetizing locations, and using a specified configuration. (see the Frequently Asked Question concerning proper invocation of a Categorical Waiver) [EC.02.06.01]
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