How to Successfully Plan Telecommunications Rooms in Health Care Facilities
July 22, 2021
Information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure in health care facilities plays a key role in saving patients’ lives. And, when it comes to planning what ICT infrastructure will be needed in new or existing health care facilities, those professionals who design, build and specify for these facilities deliver a network that ensures quality patient care, regulatory compliance, and facility and patient safety while staying on budget and leaving room for future growth.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, BUILDING CODES AND CRITICAL EQUIPMENT
One of the most important goals for those designing and building health care facilities is meeting the International Building Code’s (IBC) Risk Category IV criteria, which states that hospitals, including their nonstructural components, are critical and must be designed to stay operational even during natural disasters and other emergencies.
Critical Facilities Requirements
Of course, most natural disasters are unpredictable and uncontrollable. That means preparedness and preventative measures are key in any health care facility.
To ensure operation during flooding and hurricanes, TIA-569-D 6.3.8 requires that Telecommunications Rooms (TRs) must be located above water level, unless preventative measures against water infiltration are employed. The TR must be free of water or drain pipes not directly required in support of the equipment within the room. A floor drain with a backflow preventer must be provided within the room if risk of water ingress exists.
More importantly, there are unique architectural and engineering challenges when building in seismically active areas. Seismic events are not limited to the state of California; earthquakes take place every day throughout the world.
Mission-Critical TRs
Mission-critical facilities are required to continue operation even after an earthquake. In California, the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) has permitting authority for hospitals and health care facilities. The California Building Code (CBC) requires all critical facilities to meet the most stringent seismic design requirements in code, regardless of site location.
To speed permitting, the OSHPD preapproval of manufacturer’s certification (OPM) allows manufacturers to precertify an OSHPD-compilant anchorage design. OPM can be used by contractors to eliminate the expense of retaining an engineer to design rack anchorage. Most importantly, OPM defines an anchorage that meets the maximum requirement in code. Therefore, an OPM anchorage should be sufficient in any seismic zone.
If a seismic rack is needed for a healthcare facility or tenant, consider using OSHPD’s OPM to shortlist a few racks of interest. Then, compare the details to find the highest seismic load. For permitting approvals outside of California, a local engineer typically makes the recommendation.
Mounting Considerations
Installers and contractors must also address the way nonstructural components are anchored and braced in a seismic zone or in a Risk Category IV building. Bracing and anchorage must be strong enough to resist a seismic activity. When mounting on a concrete floor, it is extremely important to choose seismically-rated floor anchors that can support the load of the rack and equipment.
Designing and planning TRs in health care facilities require special considerations. Beyond the aforementioned factors, consider the following guidelines for a successful ICT infrastructure for years to come:
- Equipment and TR sizes need to be larger to accommodate additional systems.
- Simplify the project by specifying and selecting the infrastructure from one or fewer vendors. This will allow the products and systems to be compatible and minimizes dealing with different lead times.
- Plan cable management and pathway spaces with at least 50 percent open space for future growth and changes.
- Select products with advanced features, such as tool-less installation during future upgrades, adjustability (ultimate flexibility) and integrated bonding studs (enabling quicker bonding connections).
- Adopt cable management and pathway that are both copper and optical fiber friendly, while allowing for maximum use of interior space. This means the cable manager can support higher density cabling without impacting airflow. Remember to look for a design that promotes intuitive MACs.
- Monitor power, environmental conditions and security in equipment and TRs to help prevent power outages and to protect data.
- In seismic zones, California OSHPD OPM provides excellent planning and installation guidance. Consider seismic-rated (shaker tested) racks to maximize load per footprint.
- Take advantage of a manufacturer’s online tools, such as cable fill tables that provide recommended and maximum cable fill values for the specific cable management and pathway products included in the project.
By addressing these considerations, the prognosis on any future TR looks strong.
Editor’s Note: The article above contains excerpts from an originally published piece from the Jan./Feb./March 2020 issue of ICT Today Magazine, a BICSI publication.
Posted by Mitch Cohen, RCDD, Regional Sales Manager, Chatsworth Products at 7/22/2021 9:44:33 AM