Last year we saw many incidents and accidents in hospitals due to unsafe electrical networks. In November 2021, a hospital in Ahmednagar lost 11 lives in the intensive care unit (ICU) who were recovering from COVID–19. A district hospital with a special newborn care unit (SNCU) was engulfed in fire, and four babies lost their lives. Again on 9 January 2021, another district hospital witnessed the death of 10 infants in its neonatal intensive care unit. All three fires were diagnosed to be on account of electrical malfunctioning, primarily short-circuits.

We know that sensitive and life-saving equipment is electrically operated in hospitals. Thus, electrical safety in hospitals must be handled with utmost priority to avoid accidents and deaths in a place where lives depend on equipment success and failure.

This article will guide you with 5 tips to ensure the safe use of electricity in hospitals

1.   Ensure Safe Dispersal Path for Dangerous Current

Hospitals generally face short-circuit conditions in their daily operations. Electric current flows down unintended paths during these conditions. It is recommended that the grounding system of the hospitals have the least resistance so that high energy dissipation does not harm lives or damage assets.

2.      Ensure Separation between Electrical and Communication Cables

Allocating separate channels for electrical and communication cables reduces electrical and magnetic interference between the cables. This is one of the best safety guidelines for a safe electrical network.

3.      Ensure Management of Static Electricity

Static electricity is generated when the network experiences an electrical imbalance. Implementing solutions to absorb this excess static electricity will keep the patient environment safe.

 4.      Ensure Safety from Lightning Strikes

Lightning strikes can cause severe damage to hospital structures, power supplies and equipment if they are not effectively protected. Hence a uniquely designed lightning protection plan can ensure the safe working of hospitals.

 5.      Ensure Stability of Your Electrical Network

A circuit breaker plays a crucial part in any electrical system. It is designed to react and disconnect an electrical network when an anomaly is sensed. For timely action of these protective devices, the electrical reference (grounding) must be kept stable.