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Mac’s Safety Space: Breaker, breaker . . .

Hospital Safety Connection, January 26, 2012

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Recently I received a question from a colleague regarding a survey finding an RFI under EC.02.05.01, performance element numero 7, which requires hospitals to map the distribution of its utility systems. The nature of the finding was that there was an electrical panel in which the panel schedule did not accurately reflect the status of the breakers contained therein.

My guess is that there was a breaker labeled as a “spare” that was in the “on” position, which is a pretty common finding if one should choose to look for such a condition. At any rate, the finding went on to outline that staff were unaware of the last time the mapping of the electrical distribution was verified. The question thus became: How often do we need to be verifying panel schedules, since the standard doesn’t specify and there is no supporting FAQ, etc., to provide guidance.

Now, first, I don’t know that this would be the most appropriate place to cite this condition; my preference would be for EP #8, which requires the labeling of utility systems controls to facilitate partial or complete emergency shutdowns, but I digress. Strictly speaking, any time any work is done in an electrical panel, the panel schedule should be verified for accuracy, which means that any breaker that is in the “on” position should be identified as such on the panel schedule. This is not specifically a Joint Commission requirement, but I think that we can agree that the concept, once one settles the matter as a function of logic and appropriate risk management behavior, “lives” in NFPA 70 the National Electrical Code®.

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