Standards · Standard or regulation
ISO 7396-1
Medical gas pipeline systems, Part 1: Pipeline systems for compressed medical gases and vacuum
In plain words
What it covers.
The international standard for medical gas pipeline systems. It sets the design of supply sources, pipelines, alarms and terminal units, the pressures they must hold, and the tests needed before use, such as cross-connection and gas identity tests. HTM 02-01 builds on it for the NHS.
Who uses it: Medical gas designers, installers and verifiers; estates; clinical engineers reviewing gas designs.
A summary written by BMEssentia for learning, not the text of the standard. Always work from the current official edition and the manufacturer's instructions.
It covers
- Supply systems with primary, secondary and reserve sources
- Pipeline distribution and pressures
- Monitoring and alarm systems
- Terminal units
- Testing and commissioning
- Identification and colour coding
Key points
What engineers need to know.
- Supply systems need a primary, secondary and reserve source so no single failure stops supply.
- Pipelines must be tested for leaks, cross-connection, flow and gas identity before use.
- Alarms must warn of high or low pipeline pressure and supply changeover.
- Gas-specific terminal units stop the wrong device being connected.
- Pipelines are labelled with the gas name and colour code.
- Compressed gases include oxygen, nitrous oxide, medical air and carbon dioxide.
Medical City
Where you practise it.
- S2-M047 medical gas sign-off
- Hospital Architect and Room Builder gas provision