As of 2017, there were approximately 6,210 hospitals operating throughout the United States. But due to natural disasters, seasonal storms, or increased energy demand, these hospitals may face challenges in protecting both their equipment and their patients.
It’s essential that your hospital or healthcare facility is properly prepared in the event of a short power outage or long-term blackout. Without adhering to industry standards, you could risk a disaster of your own making. Here are just a few ways you can protect your hospital’s power supply during an unexpected outage.
Maintain Your Emergency Power System
In the event of a natural disaster or other emergency, you need to know that you have a backup means to power your facilities. It’s not enough to merely invest in an emergency power system, which is always required by law. You also need to ensure that system is properly maintained. While rare, there have been instances wherein emergency power systems have failed during hurricanes and other superstorms. If and when this occurs, facilities must act quickly to move patients to other healthcare centers — which can be a huge problem in the midst of a natural disaster. Your emergency power system must comply with NFPA standards and should be tested regularly to ensure the health and safety of all.
Utilize Standby Power Systems
Standby power systems are not required by law in all areas of the United States. These power systems are generally geared towards maintaining electrical power for equipment that could cause some kind of disruption or discomfort for the business. Without these systems, you may not risk fatalities or other safety hazards; however, they could certainly make it much more difficult for your staff to do their jobs. To keep operations at your facility running smoothly, you should consider installing standby power systems, even if they aren’t technically necessary for compliance.
Use Medical Grade Isolation Transformers
Although a medical grade isolation transformer won’t keep your entire power system from going down like a generator would, this equipment is crucial for maintaining consistent energy output for your hospital equipment. Custom medical grade transformers can be used to transfer power from the source to equipment like hospital beds and patient monitors. In the event of a power surge, which can happen without warning and on a regular basis, medical grade isolation transformers can protect both the sensitive equipment and the patient’s safety.
There are a number of electrical standards required of most hospitals and healthcare centers in the United States. But even if the inclusion of certain electrical systems isn’t mandated, you should take every step to make your facility as safe as possible. For more on our isolation transformers and how they can improve your hospital, please contact us today.