Why Fire-Rating Wiring is Crucial in Healthcare Buildings

When an emergency happens in a medical building, the need for quick response and protection of critical circuits is dire.

In fact, medical professionals have a protocol to quickly respond to fire emergencies – RACE:  Rescue, Alert, Confine, and Extinguish/Evacuate. Number two is alert, a fire alarm pull to make sure the local fire department will be on the way.

As an additional measure, many hospitals are implementing two-hour fire-rated wiring systems to ensure they meet life safety codes. But why?

Why Protection of Critical Circuits is Important in Healthcare

All hospitals have a number of procedures they must follow during a fire, including:

1. Code Red: This is often a code word to alert hospital personnel to fire.
2. Fire’s Point of Origin: The location where the fire started.
3. RACE: The acronym mentioned above to help personnel remember their duties during a fire.

Unlike other buildings, hospitals have complex circuitry to keep power pumping into every room. Alarm systems, oxygen valves, heart monitors, and life support are all systems that need to remain functional during an emergency.

If the fire requires an evacuation, it’s especially important to try to keep these systems online until the situation is resolved. This is one of the main reasons fire-rated wiring comes into play. Oftentimes, evacuation of patients is not an option and emergency responders must “defend in place” to save lives.

What Are the NEC Codes for Healthcare?

What some might not know, is that there are actually electrical codes in place for healthcare facilities. Article 517 of the National Electrical Code (NEC) outlines the requirements for these buildings.

The article outlines what constitutes as a healthcare facility, and it’s not limited to only hospitals. In fact, it’s “any building or mobile enclosure for providing people with care such as dental, psychiatric, nursing, surgery, etc.” Essentially, if the building takes patients, it needs to meet this code.

A majority of the language in this section concerns life safety, requiring a system capable of providing lighting and power service for life safety elements in the building. Mineral Insulated Fire-rated wiring systems like Pyrotenax provide the protection required during an emergency and when patients cannot be moved and defend in place is required. 

Why MI Cables are The Best for Healthcare Emergency Response

MI cable’s inorganic construction makes the cable extremely fire and heat resistant. During a fire, these cables can withstand high temperatures and do not emit smoke or gas that can compromise patient and first responders’ wellbeing. For fire professionals responding to a situation in a healthcare building, this can make a significant difference.

With current trends moving towards two hour protection of critical circuits, MI cables also have advantages in:

• Maintenance – Pyrotenax MI cables are virtually maintenance free and have a Limited Lifetime Warranty. 
• UL Listings – Fire-rated cable meets many critical UL listings and NEC codes including Article 517.
• Space Savings – Pyrotenax MI cables carry higher amperage than other wiring solutions. This can save significant space that can be redeployed for more productive uses.
• Installation – MI cable has become easier to install, contributing to electrical modernization.

For healthcare providers, ensuring your building will stay operational, while maximizing safety for patents, staff and first responders during and after an emergency needs to be a priority.

To learn more about how electrical codes can impact Medical building design or retrofitting, we suggest you visit NFPA codes and standards and become familiar with Compliance with NFPA 101®, Life Safety Code®, and NFPA 99, Health Care Facilities Code. To learn more about Pyrotenax System 1850 MI wiring solutions for hospitals please visit Fire Resistant Building Materials | NFPA Standards | Chemelex Pyrotenax