Gas Facilities Management

BOC Healthcare offers a total turnkey gas facilities management solution, streamlining the provision of this vital service and ensuring that hospital liquid oxygen supply systems are always installed correctly, are fully compliant, and operate with optimum efficiency, creating the safest possible environment for patient care. The experienced team negotiates and manages all aspects of the work, so at every stage of the process, risk is reduced, and inconvenience is taken away from the client.

Design of a Bespoke Solution

BOC Healthcare will visit the site and meet with estates personnel to gain a thorough understanding of the project requirements. The design team will then develop a bespoke solution that ensures the facility is fully compliant with the recommendations set out in HTM 02-01, which applies to all medical gas pipeline systems installed in healthcare premises. This includes:

• Vessel and pipeline system sizing calculations
• Flow rate and pressure drop calculations
• Plinth design
• Selection of location (in line with BCGA Code of Practice 36 and other relevant guidance)
• Operational requirements such as alarms, maintenance and use
• BOC Healthcare can also specify and install accommodation requirements such as fencing and ducting.

Medical Gas Installation and Testing

Once our expert in-house technical department has approved the design, BOC Healthcare will manage the installation of the medical gas supply systems and pipeline, which could also include electrical supply cables and installations. Upon completion, qualified staff will carry out all testing and commissioning, again to HTM 02-01 requirements.

BOC Medical Engineering Services can also provide as-fitted drawings and valve numbering and tagging to help the hospital maintain an accurate overview of the Medical Gas Pipeline System (MGPS), as required in HTM 02-01. The BOC Backfeed kit (and service), an invaluable method of supplying medical oxygen and medical air to wards and departments when the main pipe infrastructure is being isolated, extended or altered, is also available as an option.

Best Performance

BOC Healthcare anticipates and addresses every challenge that could arise during installation. The gas facilities management turnkey solution offers expert engineering for safety, compliance and system performance throughout. Upgrade elements offered include:

• Additional vaporisers with timed changeovers units
• Resizing of vaporisers to match increased flow rates
• High flow system control panels
• Pipeline ring main configuration (as recommended in HTM 02-01) for a more resilient and flexible medical gas system
• Non-return valves on supply pipelines to reduce the risk of total system loss in the event of pipework damage
• Erection of protective canopies and maintenance lighting over facility control panels
• Test points installed on supply systems.

BOC Healthcare offers a total turnkey solution for the installation of medical gas storage, providing one point of contact for hospital estates personnel and streamlining the delivery of the project. BOC Healthcare ensures that a new or upgraded facility is compliant and operates with optimum efficiency, creating the safest possible environment. The experienced team negotiates and manages all aspects of the work so at every stage of the process, risk is reduced, and inconvenience taken away from the client.

Medical Gas Cylinders

Medical gas cylinders may be used for convenience or just be kept as a back-up to a fixed pipeline supply. Historically, many medical gas stores have been located in isolated or disused buildings with only basic security measures in place. This has led to medical gas cylinders being targeted by thieves for both their scrap metal value and contents. Increasing the standard of gas storage facilities to avoid the possibility of theft and the cost of replacing cylinders is now a priority.

Design of a Bespoke Solution

BOC Healthcare will visit the site and meet with estates personnel to gain a thorough understanding of the storage facilities, surveying any existing facilities. The design team will then develop a bespoke solution that is fully compliant with the recommendations set out in HTM 02-01 and BCGA Code of Practice 44. This may involve the upgrading of current facilities, or a proposal for the construction of new purpose-built external store.

BOC Healthcare will manage the entire project from start to finish. Project elements may include:

• Proposal of new storage equipment
• Design and development of an operating system for the stand-alone store
• Plinth design
• Selection of location (in line with HTM 02-01, BCGA CP 44 and other relevant guidance)
• Installation
• Provision of new or updated signage.

Best Performance

BOC Healthcare anticipates and addresses every challenge that could arise during installation. The medical gas storage installation turnkey solution offers expert engineering for safety, compliance and system performance throughout, delivered smoothly and efficiently by one trusted supplier.

Keeping an overview of the Medical Gas Pipeline System (MGPS) in hospitals is sometimes easier said than done, especially if there is a mixture of paper and electronic records and the pipeline system has been altered, upgraded, or expanded over the years. Accurate and up-to-date drawings representing medical gas pipeline systems are vital, particularly in the event of an emergency as lives could be put at risk if errors are left undetected.

BOC Medical Engineering Services offers the complete range of drawing options, ensuring gas pipeline transparency, and allowing hospitals to comply with the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 and HTM 02-01 Part B:

As-fitted Drawings

As-fitted drawings provide detailed information on the medical gas pipework within a hospital, reflecting the full extent of the MGPS and its capability. BOC will visit the site and undertake a detailed survey of the MGPS system. Final drawings will be supplied on the latest edition of Auto-CAD, with each gas separately layered. This service assists with identification and ensures hospitals are aligned to HTM 02-01 Part B requirements.

On completion of the survey and as-fitted drawings, BOC can provide:

• Supply and fitting of valve number tags
• AVSU plaques
• Key organisation and register
• Key cabinets.

Isometric Drawings

Upon receipt of a full set of as-fitted drawings, BOC can also provide isometric drawings. Isometric drawings are the best way to gather all relevant and essential information with regard to calculating pipeline pressure drops and diversified flow rates. These drawings can determine if the existing MGPS can be expanded or added onto. BOC can also assist in identifying potential pressure drops in the system where new extensions can be added or where increased pipe sizes are required to avoid issues. Drawings are in line with ISO standard units and can be easily cross-referenced with HTM 02-01 tables.

Schematic Drawings

Schematic drawings provide a simple view of the whole MGPS, from source supply equipment to terminal unit. Schematic drawings from BOC ensure the MGPS is easy to interpret, and key components are easily identified.

Best Performance

Given today’s challenging healthcare environment and the high demands placed on safety and performance, it is more important than ever for hospitals to have complete control of their medical gas infrastructure as well as compliant documentation.

BOC Medical Engineering’s range of medical drawings ensures hospital and patient safety and can assist in MGPS requirements. They are an invaluable asset for an Authorised Persons (MGPS) and estates personnel, delivered by a trusted supplier with years of experience and an unrivalled reputation.

BOC Healthcare is committed to supporting hospitals and healthcare facilities by identifying and addressing every aspect surrounding the safe delivery of medical gases. The BOC Backfeed Kit and Service is a vital resource to support Authorised Persons (MGPS) in safe management of the Medical Gas Pipeline System (MGPS). It is an invaluable method of supplying medical oxygen and medical air to wards and departments when the main pipe infrastructure is being isolated, extended or altered.

The Backfeed Kit features the latest technology and is fully compliant with the guidance in HTM 02-01. It is suitable for:

• Support wards, SCBU and HDU during shutdowns
• Emergency use during system failure/pipeline breach
• Supporting separate departments.

Prior to supplying the kit, BOC will visit the hospital to carry out an assessment of requirements and ensure the relevant capacity is allowed for, meaning clinical users can be confident that the supply will be maintained. It is then delivered complete with cylinders and an engineer to further reduce the risks when the MGPS is interrupted. Customers using the Backfeed Service benefit from an ‘end-to-end’ service from BOC: elimination of the risk associated with large cylinders, no high-pressure connection, and the elimination of unsafe storage practices in patient environments.

The Backfeed Kit

The Backfeed Kit is packed full of features and benefits:

• Ease of use – operation is clear and straightforward, and changeover from one bank to the other is simple and quick, ensuring continuity of supply
• Lightweight and manoeuvrable
• Secure and robust - designed from high quality stainless steel, the trolley carries six lightweight ZX integral valve cylinders securely. Brakes on all four wheels hold the kit in position, ensuring it is stable at all times
• Improved safety – the Backfeed Kit removes large cylinders from patient areas and also reduces the risks associated with manual handling
• Flexible and versatile - it can be connected around the hospital, ensuring continuity of supply to patients from single wards to whole site shutdowns
• Cost effective – the kit can reduce overall costs as it eliminates the need for regulators and maintenance.

A Tailored Service

The Backfeed Kit and Service can be tailored to exact requirements. It includes delivery and collection of cylinders, with the optional provision of a BOC onsite engineer to manage the Backfeed Kit if required.

Best Performance

The BOC Backfeed Kit and Service allows hospitals both to plan scheduled MGPS works and to handle unexpected challenges, secure in the knowledge that the consistent and safe delivery of essential medical gases will not be affected. Easy to use, lightweight and secure, the BOC Backfeed Kit supports hospital and patient safety, and is delivered by a trusted supplier with years of experience and an unrivalled reputation in the design, installation and maintenance of MGPS.

BOC Healthcare supports hospitals and healthcare facilities by providing a holistic solution to the safe delivery of medical gases. As part of its managed equipment service, BOC offers Medical Devices Annual Test and Inspection. The service covers flowmeters, suction controllers, medical gas regulators and demand valves and ensures equipment is working at optimum level.

The service helps hospitals and facilities to prepare for Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspections and allows compliance with Regulation 16 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008, and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Group (MHRA) guidelines on Managing Medical Devices.

Provided by BOC’s expert medical engineering team, it is an invaluable service for Authorised Persons (MGPS) and estates personnel.

A Comprehensive Service

BOC will visit the site annually to carry out a comprehensive service that includes:

• Visual check
• Connection and full functional test, flow check, leak test and gauge condition (and where required, changing of O-rings and Bodok seals)
• Registration or update of serial/asset number
• Annual colour-coded test due to label affixed
• Full documentation of work, including asset register.

All devices will be left fully operational and ready for immediate use, with any non-confirming devices identified and removed.

Repair and Maintenance

The service includes minor repairs such as the replacement of broken flowmeter nozzles, O-rings, Bodok seals and suction controllers (on/off lever). Non-conforming or unserviceable devices can be replaced with spare equipment, provided free issue by the hospital where possible. Alternatively, BOC can provide brand-new, high-quality replacements.

BOC can also service any equipment that needs regular servicing at the manufacturer’s recommended intervals, including ENTONOX ^® demand valve testing.

Best Performance

BOC’s annual testing and inspection of medical devices offers hospitals the peace of mind that comes from working with a trusted supplier with years of experience and an unrivalled understanding of medical gas and medical devices. The service ensures that all equipment is operating safely in line with the CQC regulations.

BOC Healthcare supports hospitals and healthcare facilities by offering a holistic solution to the safe delivery of medical gases, whether through the Medical Gas Pipeline System (MGPS) or, as in the case of the Emergency Response Oxygen System (EROS), through portable units that take to the gas directly to the point of use. EROS offers an easy to use, lightweight and secure solution in rapid response scenarios. The robust unit has been designed to deal with various medical emergencies requiring multi-patient oxygen therapy and is suitable for flat or uneven terrain.

EROS is evidence of BOC’s continued commitment to investing in innovation and the development of products that enhance patient care. It is an invaluable resource for any Hazard Area Response Team (HART) or Emergency Response Team (ERT).

Features and Benefits

EROS is packed full of features and benefits:

• Ease of use – operation is clear and straightforward, and changeover from one bank to the other is simple and quick, ensuring continuity of supply
• Lightweight and manoeuvrable – the lightweight unit offers manual handling benefits and is easy to manoeuvre around potentially difficult terrain
• Secure and robust - designed from high quality stainless steel, the robust trolley carries four ZX integral valve cylinders securely. Brakes on all four wheels hold EROS in position, ensuring stability at all times
• Flexible and versatile – EROS can be used for any 300 bar integral valve with a Schrader outlet cylinder, making it compatible with cylinders from any medical gas supplier
• Cost effective – EROS can reduce overall costs as it eliminates the need for regulators and maintenance.

Best Performance

All products and services from BOC offer hospitals the peace of mind that comes from working with a trusted supplier with years of experience and an unrivalled understanding of medical gases. EROS enables HART (Hazard Area Response Teams) and ERT (Emergency Response Teams) to take essential medical gases to where they are needed, quickly and safely, supporting the best patient care and outcomes.