Patients depend on reliable power during an emergency. Whether there is a patient in a cardiac unit or an infant in an incubator, your back up power generator must function at the critical moment. At Gen-Tech, we understand the importance of reliable back up power. We are well-versed in the applicable standards and help healthcare facilities in Arizona and Nevada choose and maintain their generators so that they maintain compliance with existing regulations and established industry standards.

Adhering to Joint Commission Standards

The Joint Commission reviews all hospitals in the United States every three years. This review encompasses both Life Safety and Environment of Care. These inspections are in addition to National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) requirements under NFPA 110. Because both require adherence to similar testing standards, many healthcare facilities schedule these tests to satisfy both sets of standards simultaneously.

Joint Commission Standards recommend routinely analyzing the power requirements of critical equipment within the facility and upgrading emergency power generators when existing generators are insufficient to meet these needs.

Further, the standards require that all generators, switches, etc. should be properly labeled and a map of the emergency distribution system should be prepared and kept within a secure location. It is also strongly advised to provide thorough training to operators and to routinely test their knowledge of the emergency power system.

The standards also require healthcare facilities to test fuel storage tanks and replace damaged components. Likewise, fuel should be tested to ensure that it is stable and will deliver the energy needed for the generator to function.

Planning for Long-Term Power Loss

Hospitals and other healthcare facilities are inoculated against threats caused by bad weather and failure within the power grid. However, the mere presence of a health facility's back up power is not sufficient to provide adequate protection. Preparing for unexpected, long-term power loss requires properly maintaining systems throughout the year to ensure they deliver reliable power when the lights go out.

An important consideration for any facility is to determine whether diesel or natural gas provides a better fuel source for the back up generator. Diesel generators are tried, trusted, and can deliver significant amounts of electricity. However, they require the placement of large fuel storage tanks.

Natural gas powered back up generators are another option that is growing in popularity with healthcare facilities. These systems do not require the placement of fuel storage tanks. However, they are reliant on the regional gas utility which can leave the facility powerless if a major event knocks out the natural gas lines.

Contact Us for Routine Maintenance and Back Up Power Planning

The technicians at Gen-Tech are committed to protecting the life-saving operations of healthcare facilities throughout the region. When your power goes down, you can contact our 24/7 emergency support by calling (800) 625-8324. Our dispatch ready technicians have the skills and tools required to restore your power so that you can focus on taking care of your patient's health.

Of course, in an ideal situation, you won't need emergency services from our team. Instead, you'll be incompliance with NFPA and Joint Commission standards thanks to your regularly-scheduled load bank testing, fuel testing, and generator maintenance. Contact us to learn more.