RMGA System Testing 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An RMGA is verifying outlet flow rates during system testing. What is the minimum acceptable flow rate at a single oxygen outlet per NFPA 99 for a general care area?
- 1 L/min
- 3 L/min
- 5 L/min (Correct answer)
- 10 L/min
Correct answer: 5 L/min
NFPA 99 specifies a minimum flow rate of 5 L/min at each individual oxygen outlet under system operating conditions for general patient care areas.
Question 2: During cross-connection testing using an oxygen analyzer, what reading indicates a cross-connection exists between the oxygen and nitrous oxide lines?
- 100% oxygen at the nitrous oxide outlet
- 21% oxygen at the nitrous oxide outlet
- A reading between 21% and 100% oxygen at the nitrous oxide outlet
- Any non-zero reading at the nitrous oxide outlet when oxygen is isolated (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Any non-zero reading at the nitrous oxide outlet when oxygen is isolated
Any detectable oxygen concentration at a nitrous oxide outlet when only nitrogen test gas is flowing through the nitrous oxide line indicates a cross-connection.
Question 3: Who is authorized to certify that a new medical gas piping system meets all NFPA 99 requirements before it is placed into service?
- The installing contractor's project manager
- A licensed plumber
- A qualified ASSE 6010 medical gas system verifier (Correct answer)
- The hospital's facilities director
Correct answer: A qualified ASSE 6010 medical gas system verifier
NFPA 99 requires that a qualified, independent verifier credentialed to ASSE 6010 standard certify the system before it is placed into service.
Question 4: When testing a medical vacuum system, what minimum vacuum level must be achieved at each inlet station to pass?
- -100 mmHg
- -250 mmHg
- -380 mmHg (Correct answer)
- -500 mmHg
Correct answer: -380 mmHg
NFPA 99 requires that medical vacuum systems maintain a minimum of -380 mmHg (approximately -7.3 psi) at each inlet under peak demand conditions.
Question 5: What is the purpose of testing the automatic switchover function of a medical gas source equipment during system testing?
- To verify gas purity at the outlet
- To confirm the backup supply activates automatically when the primary supply is depleted (Correct answer)
- To measure pipeline pressure loss over 24 hours
- To check that zone valve labels are correct
Correct answer: To confirm the backup supply activates automatically when the primary supply is depleted
Switchover testing confirms that the reserve or secondary gas supply automatically activates and maintains system pressure when the primary supply is exhausted or fails.
Question 6: A medical gas system test reveals that the pressure at the farthest outlet drops below 50 psig when multiple outlets are opened simultaneously. What does this indicate?
- The zone valve is partially closed
- The system has adequate pressure drop within acceptable limits
- The pipeline may be undersized or the source pressure is insufficient (Correct answer)
- The cross-connection test failed
Correct answer: The pipeline may be undersized or the source pressure is insufficient
A pressure drop below 50 psig under simultaneous demand suggests the piping diameter is too small for peak load or the source equipment is not supplying adequate pressure.
Question 7: During system testing, which document must the RMGA verifier complete and provide to the facility upon successful completion?
- A purchase order for replacement parts
- A completed verification report documenting all test results (Correct answer)
- A permit from the local fire marshal
- An OSHA 300 incident log
Correct answer: A completed verification report documenting all test results
NFPA 99 and ASSE 6010 require the verifier to provide a complete written verification report documenting all tests performed, results, and certification of compliance.
RMGA System Testing 3
An RMGA is verifying outlet flow rates during system testing.
What is the minimum acceptable flow rate at a single oxygen outlet per NFPA 99 for a general care area?