Special requirements for plumbing installations in health care facilities

1.1 General

This Standard addresses the special requirements of plumbing systems pertinent to the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of health care facilities (HCFs). This Standard specifies requirements for the following in HCFs:

a) water supply systems, including cold water systems and hot water systems;

b) plumbing fixtures and fittings;

c) drainage systems;

d) risk management;

e) monitoring and maintenance of water systems;

f) infection control;

g) catastrophic event planning;

h) specialized water systems (e.g., reverse osmosis, deionized, distilled); and

i) hydraulic fire protection systems.

Note: Special requirements for plumbing systems apply in HCFs because of the need to protect occupants of the facility and the adjacent surroundings from

a) infectious diseases;

b) hazards created by improper temperatures, leaks, and inadequate drainage; and

c) adverse conditions created by the failure or improper operation of plumbing systems.

1.2 Supplemental requirements

This Standard supplements the relevant standards and other applicable requirements for plumbing systems, fixtures, and fittings in general building applications.

Notes:

1) Relevant plumbing standards for plumbing fixtures and fittings can be found in the National Plumbing Code of Canada, adopted provincial/territorial plumbing codes, or both; local codes and bylaws; and other communications from authorities having jurisdiction.

2) Applicable requirements for plumbing systems are also contained in the National Building Code of Canada.

1.3 Intended use

This Standard is not intended to preclude the use of design concepts and the adoption of construction, installation, operations, and maintenance procedures more stringent than those specified in this Standard and in the documents listed in Clause 2.

1.4 Exclusions

This Standard does not apply to medical gas systems.

Note: See CSA Z7396.1 for pipelines for medical gases, medical vacuum, medical support gases, and anaesthetic gas scavenging systems.

1.5 Class of HCFs

This Standard applies to all classes of HCFs.

Note: Some requirements may be waived for smaller Class C-2 HCFs as determined by the application of engineering principles and in consultation with the administrator and the authority having jurisdiction.

1.6 Retrofitting of existing systems

The requirements of this Standard apply to the retrofitting of existing systems when

a) an existing HCF is

i) extended; or

ii) undergoing material alteration or repair; and

b) the multidisciplinary team (MDT) determines that the plumbing in the existing facility is adversely affected.

1.7 Terminology

In this Standard, "shall" is used to express a requirement, i.e., a provision that the user is obliged to satisfy in order to comply with the Standard; "should" is used to express a recommendation or that which is advised but not required; and "may" is used to express an option or that which is permissible within the limits of the Standard.

Notes accompanying clauses do not include requirements or alternative requirements; the purpose of a note accompanying a clause is to separate from the text explanatory or informative material.

Notes to tables and figures are considered part of the table or figure and may be written as requirements.

Annexes are designated normative (mandatory) or informative (non-mandatory) to define their application.

1.8 Units of measurement

The values given in SI units are the units of record for the purposes of this Standard. The values given in parentheses are for information and comparison only.