Environment of Care (EC) (Critical Access Hospitals / Critical Access Hospitals)
Relocatable Power Taps - UL Requirements
Publish | January 01, 0001
Where can relocatable power taps (RPTs) be used and what are the UL requirements?
The scope of CMS S&C letter 14-46 states "CMS is permitting a categorical waiver to allow for the use of power strips in existing and new health care facility patient care areas, …". NFPA 99 (1999) states that a patent care area is "Any portion of a health care facility wherein patients are intended to be examined or treated" where patients will be connected to or come into contact with electrical appliances. NFPA 99 (2012) only considers the patient vicinity with regard to multiple outlet connections (power strips). So within the scope of patient care areas, power strips providing power to patient care-related electrical equipment must be Special-purpose Relocatable Power Taps (SPRPT) listed as UL 1363A or UL 60601-1, and power strips providing power to non-patient-care-related electrical equipment must be Relocatable Power Taps (RPT) listed as at least UL 1363. There does not appear to be any specific requirements for the scope of CMS S&C 14-46 to apply to areas where patient examination and treatment does not occur such as nurse stations, store rooms, administration, materials management, food service, etc., but it would be prudent to use power strips of a proven quality within health care facilities, like UL-1363 or better. [EC.02.06.01]
Was this response helpful?
Thank you for your feedback!