Can someone help me out here. Had a buddy say AN Inspector says you cannot have switched receptacles in patient rooms. I cannot find it in the NEC or the NFPA 99.

I will admit I can understand the design preference for not doing it but to say it's a code violation is going overboard. BEFORE this guy is challenged on this issue I just wanted to hear from others.

It is not a fire safety issue...

It's a medical safety issue...

And is almost certainly some sub-set of the building code -- for hospitals.

This is what you must drill into your brain:

Our craft is ruled by a composite of rule books.

The NEC is NOT the end all.

If building a bank... EXTRA rules.

If building a service station... EXTRA rules/ exemptions.

If building a hospital... EXTRA rules... unique to them.

And so it goes.

This is why electrical contractors specialize. Anyone entering these sectors gets BURNED/ blind-sided during their first jobs. They can count themselves lucky to even stay afloat.

BTW, even wiring up elevators is brutal for a 'virgin.'

I had to walk my boss through the procedure. He'd never done one in all his career -- yet he bid the work -- pretty much in the blind. He later admitted he was glad to get out of that job -- with his company intact.

His expertise was in underground/ trunk utilities. Just another area that has EXTRA rules above and beyond the NEC. Once he left that zone -- he was in trouble. He was, however, the king of that domain. It was his bread and butter.

You can always ask the inspector what rule he is citing. For any AHJ must be able to back up a statement with a code book and rule.

Harold:
You got it! I would like to hear an NEC Article directly addressing that.

I'm not saying that it could be 'buried' somewhere in 517, but I have not come upon it.

But it IS a Code issue: the Building Code -- NOT the NEC.

Can you imagine the confusion/ consequences if someone TURNS OFF a critical receptacle?

There is a LOT of portable electrica apparatus in hospitals these days.

Further, what's the purpose of a switched receptacle in a hospital? I can't imagine any. It's not as if they use floor lamps to light room space -- anywhere.

Just accept the logic and move on.

Still, an inspector should back it up with a reference. Makes things go much smoother. I do it when I wear my inspector hat. It helps me to stay in the book. With all the changes every three years, it's dangerous to shoot from the hip

I am guessing California is like Florida. After the electrical inspector/plans examiner looks at the hospital, we have a hospital plan review and inspection by AHCA
http://ahca.myflorida.com/
They have their own rules that go far beyond anything I can enforce via the NEC but it is still on the plan. I can enforce the plan.

Without context...

Who's to criticize?

The OP is fuzy on the particulars.

I read it that he's actually shocked that such is so.

As for myself, I would've thought..."could it be any other way?"

Switched receptacles in PATIENT ROOMS -- what's the purpose? Don't tell me he actually had some in mind!

The sole and only classic use for such items was ancient: the need to switch floor lamps. These are now archaic.

Most health care facilities here in NJ have Plan Review done by the State (DCA). The DCA approved plans are then forwarded to the respective municipality for fees and issuance of the permits.

Inspections are performed by the municipal inspectors, and upon completion and approvals of the municipal inspections, the State inspections are performed.

And lastly, as I said above, back up the 'violation' with a valid code article.

The OP is not questioning the fact they should not be switched. He just wants a code reference for it.

I'm (obviously) not from the US, but I have done work in hospitals here as an Electrician.

Over here, our Regulations say that where oxygen is supplied to a certain patient area, that area must have certain means of electrical isolation while that oxygen is being used.

I hope this helps.

Trumpy:
What the OP was talking about is having a receptacle outlet (120 volt) controlled by a wall switch. I believe.

Similar to what some resi builders have installed in bedrooms here (US) to provide the 'code' required lighting outlet, controlled by a switch. The switched receptacle would have a lamp plugged in to provide illumination in that room, as opposed to a ceiling (or wall) mounted light fixture (luminaire, per code definition).

Hope this clears this up for you

Its my understanding that it is additional not mandatory.

This patient room has a switched receptacle for the bed power and a switch built into the bottom of the overbed light. That keeps them from raising the bed and ripping the light off the wall with the IV pole.Now, I have been told that they do not do that anymore and it's more of a code violation. I was told that when they needed power the most, the switched receptacle did not work because of a bad switch that was in the light.

I was also told that nurses and staff did not consistently plug the bed back into the correct switched receptacle on too many occasions. Basically defeating the purpose of having it in the first place.

I do understand the reasoning, but to say it's a code violation to have a switched receptacle in patient rooms, I just do not see that in the NEC or NFPA 99 or any other Code, Building or otherwise. If someone finds it let me know.

The inspector will be asked to show code reference. This is not my job or my install, its from a person I know. Like I said, I can understand the DESIGN preference, but when you say something is a CODE Violation, then you should be able to back it up when asked.

Brother:
You're correct on backing up a 'violation' with a code article.

Reading your above post, 'they do not do that anymore' is the key.

I can understand the confusions that could arise from a setup like you describe.

As you mention that the switch is within the bed light, that sounds like it was designed for a specific purpose,be it the bed or some other item.

Yes, it was designed for a specific purpose. It was designed for what I said exactly in my previous post. If the bed is plug into the correct receptacle, and they raise a bed with an iv pole that hits the light and it rises, the power to the receptacle, (and only that receptacle) will be shut off.

Even though personally I feel there could have been a better design when this was first installed some time ago, I do not see it as a code violation. All so called violations should be backed up with a code article.

With this "switched" outlet, if the architect spec'd it out on the plan, then the AHJ has every right to request being installed as per the plan. Now if it is a building code and the state allows the electrical AHJ to power to quote that code, ( Or if the state adopted that code) then he can also cite that rule. Here in NJ, the state allows me to quote the NEC, plus many other code sections from the ICC, NFPA, and other codes.
Now, the state gives me that authority to make that statement, but I still have to be able to cite a code section. I also have to say which code it comes from.

Harold:
To answer the OPs issue, careful reading of the details are required for this particular situation.

As I understand it finally, there is a switch built into the light above the patient bed. This switch controls a receptacle that the bed controls are plugged into. The IV pole at the bed activates this switch to terminate power to the bed controls IF the IV pole hits the switch, which is intended to protect the light from damage from the IV pole.

Sounds to me like a mfg installed safety device for the particular installation, which IMHO is beyond the jursidiction of the Electrical AHJ.

John,

OK, I see now what he is referring to. I missed the previous post and I can see how this was a specific design.