Hi, I believe that I've been down this path before asking a similar question.
The first question relates to the following; recently the Launceston General Hospital (LGH) had its NICU redeveloped, the AS 3003 areas were tested by a private Biomedical Company on behalf of the Electrical Consultant before finally being handed over the Biomedical Team at the LGH checked the area and found that many of the Cardiac areas didn't meet the requirements of AS 3003:2003. Their issue was that in AS 3003 4.3 Disposition of points controlled by RCDs "Where an RCD is used as an LPD it shall not control the supply to socket-outlets designated for more than one PATIENT. Rooms such as the Intensive Care and High dependency were wired as Cardiac Protect had a Non-Essential circuit in each room that supplied outlets at different patient locations within that room. The consultant argued that this was a mistake in the standards and he wasn't going to change and that it had been signed off by a Biomedical Engineer now that the defects period has finished my Electrical Trade Team is expected to correct the mistake however now that the Standard is AS 3003:2011 I will have to comply to the 5 metre rule (ridiculous rule if I might say) which now becomes somewhat of a major upgrade at greater cost to my budget. My questions are, was there a mistake in the AS 3003:2003 and we have interpreted this incorrectly, does a NICU Unit that is only level 2 require to be Cardiac Protected in the latest AS 3003:2011 it only mentions Neo Natal ICU (Level 3) need be Cardiac, and are other hospitals wiring their NICU to Cardiac Protect. Any thoughts on these questions would be useful. In the new year the development of new Theatres and ICU will commence at the LGH so hopefully they will be right. Regards, John John Porter Team Leader Electrical/Mechanical Building & Engineering Launceston General Hospital Mob: 0419146979 Ph: 03 6348 7433 Fx: 03 6348 7430 Email: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> ________________________________ CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE AND DISCLAIMER The information in this transmission may be confidential and/or protected by legal professional privilege, and is intended only for the person or persons to whom it is addressed. If you are not such a person, you are warned that any disclosure, copying or dissemination of the information is unauthorised. If you have received the transmission in error, please immediately contact this office by telephone, fax or email, to inform us of the error and to enable arrangements to be made for the destruction of the transmission, or its return at our cost. No liability is accepted for any unauthorised use of the information contained in this transmission.
