By Healthcare Facilities Today

Smoke purge systems are not required in windowless anesthetizing locations by the 2012 edition of NFPA 99, Health Care Facilities Code.

The persistence of language tied to smoke purge in case of fire in windowless anesthetizing locations is a "relic" of a time when "the use of flammable anesthetics was common and therefore the fire hazards in these rooms was much higher," says Jon Hart, an associate fire protection engineer at the National Fire Protection Association in a blog on NFPA Today.

The requirement was not included in Chapter 9, Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning during the latest reorganization of NFPA 99. Though language regarding smoke purge in windowless anesthetizing locations existed in NFPA 56A as recently as the 2005 edition, and also previous editions of NFPA 99, the current technical committee on Mechanical Systems has proposed language for future revisions of the code to specifically clarify that smoke purge is not required in these locations, says Hart.

However, the code requirement persists for medical plume evacuation, as stipulated in section 9.3.9.

Read the post.