MGI, Inc.
There are three main categories that make up Medical Gas Services: verification of new installations, preventative maintenance, and annual inspections. Each of these areas are required by the NFPA 99 code and are crucial to maintaining a safe and efficient medical gas system. These services also require specially trained medical gas personnel that are certified by the ASSE based on the specific service they are providing. The three types of medical gas services technicians include: ASSE 6030 Verifiers, ASSE 6040 Maintenance Personnel, and ASSE 6020 Inspectors.
About Verifications
After a new medical gas system has been installed, the installation work must be verified by a certified ASSE 6020 Inspector as per the NFPA99 code standards to ensure patient life safety. The verifier must also be an independent party not associated with the initial system installation. For example, the contractor hired to install the system cannot also verify the installation. The medical gas verifier must posses a valid and active ASSE 6030 or 6020 certification. Once the verification is complete, the verifier will provide provide a verification certificate to the facility. Without this verification certificate on file, a facility cannot use their medical gas system. Below are the NFPA 99 codes that apply to medical gas verifications:
NFPA Code 5.1.12.4.1.1 — Verifications must be conducted after the system installation and installation related tests have been completed by the installing contractor.
NFPA Code 5.1.12.4.1.3 — Verification testing needs to be conducted by a party other than the installation contractor.
NFPA Code 5.1.12.4.1.3 — Verification testing shall be be conducted by a competent and experienced medical gas professional with a valid ASSE 6030 verifiers certification.
Additionally, if at any point there is a repair and/or cut-in to the downstream gas pipeline, a system verification will need to be done in order to ensure the system is still safe and ready for patient use.
Some of the tests that will be done by the verifier during the verification process include: Standing Pressure Test, Cross-Connection Test, Alarms Test, Piping Purge Test, and Piping Particulates Test.
About Inspections
An essential part of managing your medical gas system is making sure the system is inspected on a periodic basis, or at the very least on annually. These inspections help maintain the overall integrity of the system and also ensure the system is functioning efficiently and safely. The NFPA 99 code states that both bulk systems and central supply systems must be inspected annually and that supporting documentation must be kept on file and readily available. Annual Medical Gas Inspections are essential to patient life safety and must always be done by an ASSE 6020 certified inspector. Below are the NFPA 99 guidelines that apply to medical gas inspections:
NFPA Code 5.1.14.5.3 — Bulk systems shall be inspected on an annual basis to ensure the system meets the requirements for sufficient capacity.
NFPA Code 5.1.14.5.4 — All central supply systems for nonflammable medical gases shall adhere to the following:
- Must be inspected on an annual basis.
- Must be maintained by a certified representative.
- Records of the annual inspections must be available upon request for the overseeing regulatory authorities.
NFPA Code 5.1.12.3.1.3 — All inspections need to be conducted by a medical gas professional with an ASSE 6020 Inspector Certification or an ASSE 6030 Verifier Certification.
Some of the items that will be checked during an inspection include: bulk system, central supply system, valves, medical gas outlets, alarm panels, source equipment, and all labeling. Once the inspection process is complete, the inspector will generate a formal report and a copy will be provided to the facility for their records. As per NFPA 99, the report needs to be kept on file and be made readily available in the event it is requested by any overseeing regulatory authority.
What are Verifiers & Inspectors?
Verifiers and inspectors are specialized, highly trained, and certified professionals. These individuals verify and inspect the entire medical gas pipeline system and any supporting systems and/or components related to medical gas. As per the NFPA 99 code, they must hold valid and active ASSE certifications before performing any job. Med Gas Verifiers must have an ASSE 6030 certification. Med Gas Inspectors need to have either an ASSE 6020 or ASSE 6030 certification. At MGI Inc., our team of medical gas technicians are all ASSE certified and have many years of on the job training and experience making them experts in the field.
Available Positions
MGI Inc. is currently looking for medical gas installers with ASSE 6010 certification, medical gas inspectors with ASSE 6020/6030 certification, and medical gas verifiers with ASSE 6030 certification. Candidates can be remote within the United States. These positions will require travel to job sites across the country. Visit us our Medical Gas Jobs page for more information or call us at 844–339–1110 for more details.
