Louisiana Administrative Code
Title 51 - PUBLIC HEALTH-SANITARY CODE
Part XIV - Plumbing
Chapter 13 - Medical Facilities Plumbing Systems [formerly Appendix G - Medical Facilities Plumbing Systems]
Section XIV-1305 - Drainage and Venting

Universal Citation: LA Admin Code XIV-1305

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

A. Ice Storage Chest Drains. Any drain serving an ice storage chest or box shall discharge over an indirect waste receptor separate from all other fixture wastes. Each terminal shall discharge through an air gap (drainage system) above the receptor. The end shall be covered with a removable screen of not less than 10 mesh per square inch (15.5 mesh per 1000 sq mm), and if discharging vertically, the terminal shall be cut at an angle of 45° (0.785 rad).

B. Bedpan Washers and Clinical Sinks. Bedpan washers and clinical sinks shall be connected to the soil pipe system and vented following the requirements as applied to water closets, except that bedpan washers require additional local vents.

C. Sterilizer Wastes. Wastes for sterilizers shall conform with the following.

1. Indirect Wastes Required. All sterilizers shall be provided with individual and separate indirect wastes, with air gaps (drainage system) of not less than two diameters of the waste tailpiece. The upper rim of the receptor, funnel, or basket type waste fitting shall be not less than 2 inches (51 mm) below the vessel or piping, whichever is lower. Except as provided in Paragraphs 2 and 4 below of §1305 C, a "P" trap shall be installed on the discharge side of, and immediately below, the indirect waste connection serving each sterilizer.

2. Recess Room Floor Drain. Floor drains in a room or area where the sterilizer is recessed shall conform with the following.
a. In all recess rooms containing the recessed or concealed portions of sterilizers, not less than one acceptable floor drain, connecting to the drainage system, shall be installed in a manner to drain the entire floor area.

b. The recess room floor drain waste and trap shall be a minimum 3-inch (76 mm) diameter. It shall receive the drainage from at least one sterilizer within the recess room to assure maintenance of the floor drain trap seal. The sterilizer drain shall be installed on a branch taken off between the floor drain trap and the drain head. An individual waste trap shall not be required on this type of installation.

3. Prohibited Connections. Branch funnel and branch basket type fittings, except as provided in §1305. C.4 of this code below, are prohibited on any new installation or when relocating existing equipment. Existing branch funnel or branch basket type installations shall be provided with an acceptable indirect waste below the branch connections.

4. Battery Assemblies. A battery assembly of not more than three sterilizer wastes may drain to one trap, provided the trap and waste are sized according to the combined fixture unit rating, the trap is located immediately below one of the indirect waste connections, the developed distance of a branch does not exceed 8 feet (2438 mm), and the branches change direction through a tee-wye or wye pattern fitting.

5. Bedpan Steamers, Additional Trap Required. A trap with a minimum seal of 3 inches (76 mm) shall be provided in a bedpan steamer drain located between the fixture and the indirect waste connection.

6. Pressure Sterilizer. Except when an exhaust condenser is used, a pressure sterilizer chamber drain may be connected to the exhaust drip tube before terminating at the indirect waste connection. If a vapor trap is used, it shall be designed and installed to prevent moisture being aspirated into the sterilizer chamber. The jacket steam condensate return, if not connected to a gravity steam condensate return, shall be separately and indirectly wasted. If necessary to cool a high temperature discharge, a cooling receiver, trapped on its discharge side, may serve as the fixture trap.

7. Pressure Sterilizer Exhaust Condensers. The drain from the condenser shall be installed with an indirect waste as prescribed in this Part. If condensers are used on pressure sterilizers, the chamber drain shall have a separate indirect waste connection.

8. Water Sterilizer. All water sterilizer drains, including tank, valve leakage, condenser, filter and cooling, shall be installed with indirect waste and according to §1305. C.2.a of this code.

9. Pressure Instrument Washer-Sterilizer. The pressure instrument washer-sterilizer chamber drain and overflow may be interconnected. Also, they may be interconnected with the condensers. The indirect waste shall follow the provision set forth in this Part.

D. Aspirators. In operating rooms, emergency rooms, recovery rooms, delivery rooms, examining rooms, autopsy rooms, and other locations except laboratories, where aspirators are installed for removing blood, pus, or other fluids, the discharge from any aspirator shall be indirectly connected to the drainage system. The suction line shall be provided with a bottle or similar trap to protect the water supply.

E. Vacuum System Stations. Vacuum system station locations shall be considered from the standpoint of convenience and practical use. The receptacles should be built into cabinets or recesses but shall be visible and readily accessible.

F. Bottle System. Vacuum (fluid suction) systems intended for collecting, removing or disposing of blood, pus or other fluids by the so-called bottle system shall be provided with receptacles, which are equipped with an overflow preventative device, at each vacuum outlet station. Each vacuum outlet station should be equipped with a secondary safety receptacle as an additional safeguard against fluids, other than air entering the vacuum piping systems.

G. Central Disposal System Equipment. All central vacuum (fluid suction) systems shall assure continuous service. Systems equipped with collecting or control tanks shall provide for draining and cleaning of the tanks while the system is in operation. In hospitals or institutions having emergency power provisions, the system shall be capable of remaining in service during the use of emergency power. The exhausts from a vacuum pump used in connection with a vacuum (fluid suction) system shall discharge separately to the outer atmosphere. The exhaust discharge shall not create a nuisance or hazard within, without, around or about the premises. Termination of the exhaust to the atmosphere shall be the same as required for sanitary sewer vents.

H. Central Vacuum and Disposal Systems. Central vacuum and disposal systems shall conform with the following.

1. The waste from a central vacuum (fluid suction) system of the disposal type which is connected to the drainage system, whether the disposal be by barometric lag, collection tanks, or bottles, shall be directly connected to the sanitary drainage system through a trapped waste.

2. The piping of a central vacuum (fluid suction) system shall be of corrosion resistant material having a smooth interior surface. A branch shall not be less than 1/2-inch for one outlet and sized according to the number of vacuum outlets, and a main shall not be less than 1-inch. The pipe sizing shall be increased according to acceptable engineering practices. All piping shall be provided with adequate and accessible cleanout facilities on mains, and branches, and shall be accessible for inspection, maintenance, and replacements.

I. Condensate Drains for Space Cooling and Heating Systems. The lowest point of a condensate riser or risers shall be trapped and discharged over an indirect waste sink. The trap may be either a "P" or a "running trap" with a cleanout. A branch shall be installed upstream from the condensate drain trap for flushing and resealing purposes. The condensate drain and trap shall be located above the lowest floor level of the building.

J. Vent Material. Material for local vents serving bedpan washers and sterilizer vents serving sterilizers shall be sufficiently rust proof, erosion and corrosion resistant to withstand intermittent wetting and drying from steam vapors, to withstand the distilled water solvent action of the steam vapors and to withstand frequent and immediate changes of temperatures.

K. Vent Connections Prohibited. Connections between local vents serving bedpan washers, sterilizer vents serving sterilizing apparatus and normal sanitary plumbing systems are prohibited. Furthermore, only one type of apparatus shall be served by a given local vent.

L. Local Vents and Stacks. Local vents and stacks shall comply with the following.

1. Bedpan washers shall be vented to the outer atmosphere by means of one or more local vents. Termination of the vent to the atmosphere shall be the same as required for sanitary sewer vents. The local vent for a bedpan washer shall not be less than a 2-inch diameter pipe. A local vent serving a single bedpan washer may drain to the fixture served.

2. Where bedpan washers are located above each other on more than one floor, a local vent stack may be installed to receive the local vent on the various floors. More than three bedpan washers shall not be connected to a 2-inch local vent stack, six to a 3-inch local vent stack, and 12 to a 4-inch local vent stack. In multiple installations, the connections between a bedpan washer local vent and a local vent stack shall be made by use of the tee or tee-wye sanitary pattern drainage fittings, installed in an upright position.

3. The bottom of the local vent stack, except when serving only one bedpan washer, shall be drained by means of a trapped and vented waste connection to the plumbing sanitary drainage system. The trap and waste shall be the same as the local vent stack.

4. A water supply of not less than 1/4-inch minimum tubing shall be taken from the flush supply of each bedpan washer on the discharge or fixture side of the vacuum breaker (taken off at least 4 inches below the critical level of the vacuum breaker), trapped to form not less than a 3-inch (76 mm) seal, and connected to the local vent stack on each floor. The water supply shall be so installed as to provide a supply of water to the local vent stack for cleansing and drain trap seal maintenance each time a bedpan washer is flushed.

M. Sterilizer Vents and Stacks. Sterilizer vents and stacks shall comply with the following.

1. Multiple installations of pressure and nonpressure sterilizers shall have their vent connections to the sterilizer vent stack made by means of inverted wye fittings. Such vent connections shall be accessible for inspection and maintenance.

2. The connection between sterilizer vent or exhaust openings and the sterilizer vent stack shall be designed and installed to drain to the funnel or basket type waste fitting. In multiple installations, the sterilizer vent stack shall be drained separately to the lowest sterilizer funnel or basket type waste fitting or receptor.

N. Sterilizer Vent Stack Sizes. Sterilizer vent stack sizing shall comply with the following.

1. The minimum diameter of a sterilizer vent serving a bedpan steamer shall be 1 1/2 inches. Multiple installations shall be sized according to Table 1305.N.1 of this code below.

2. The minimum diameter of a sterilizer vent stack shall be 2 inches when serving a utensil sterilizer, and 1 1/2 inches when serving an instrument sterilizer. Combinations of boiling type sterilizer vent connections shall be based on Table 1305.N.1 of this code below.

3. Sterilizer vent stacks shall be 2 1/2 inches minimum. Those serving combinations of pressure sterilizer exhaust connections shall be sized according to Table 1305.N.2 of this code below.

4. The minimum diameter of a sterilizer vent stack serving an instrument washer-sterilizer shall be 2-inch diameter. Not more than two sterilizers shall be installed on a 2-inch stack, and not more than four on a 3-inch stack.

Table 1305.N.1

Stack Sizes for Bedpan Steamers and Boiling Type Sterilizers (in)

(Number of connections of various sizes permitted to various

sized sterilizer vent stacks)

Stack Size (in)

Connection Size (in)

1 1/2

2

1 1/2 (see note 1)

1

or

0

2

2

or

1

2 (see note 2)

1

and

1

3 (see note 1)

4

or

2

3 (see note 2)

2

and

2

4 (see note 1)

8

or

4

4 (see note 2)

4

and

4

NOTES:

1. Total of each size.

2. Combination of sizes.

Table 1305.N.2

Stack Sizes for Pressure Sterilizers (in)

(Number of connections of various sizes

permitted to various sized vent stacks)

Stack Size (in)

Connection Size (in)

3/4

1

1 1/4

1 1/2

1 1/2 (Note 1)

3 or

2 or

1 or

1

1 1/2 (Note 2)

2 and

1

2 (Note 1)

6 or

3 or

2 or

1

2 (Note 2)

3 and

2

2 (Note 2)

2 and

1 and

1

2 (Note 2)

1 and

1 and

1

3 (Note 1)

15 or

7 or

5 or

3

3 (Note 2)

1 and

2 and

2

1 and

5 and

1

NOTES:

1. Total of each size.

2. Combination of sizes.

O. Radioactive Materials. All radioactive materials shall be disposed of in a manner so as not to create a hazard to operation and maintenance personnel of the institution or to the public. Specific permission shall be secured from the proper authority to dispose of any radioactive material to the drainage system.

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 40:4(A)(7) and R.S. 40:5(2)(3)(7)(9)(16)(17)(20).

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Louisiana may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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