As promised, Part 2 of the List of Facility Manager Acronyms: From a Medical Gas Company’s Perspective.
If you didn't get a chance to read Part 1, containing acronyms from A to L, you can access it here.
This article covers the rest of our commonly used acronyms (terms formed from the initial components of a word or phrase) and their description from a medical gas company's perspective.
List of Common Facility Acronyms and Their Perspective Meaning (M-Z)
NITC - National Inspection Testing Certification Corporation
A US-based company that provides certification and testing services for professionals in a variety of industries, including HVAC, plumbing, medical gas, and backflow prevention. Their certifications are designed to demonstrate that an individual has the necessary knowledge and skills to perform their job duties competently and safely. They also offer certifications in the Med Gas industry.
NEC - National Electrical Code
Developed by the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association), is a set of standards for the safe installation of electrical wiring and equipment in the United States. The NEC is updated every three years.
NEBB - National Environmental Balancing Bureau
"(NEBB) is the premier international association of Certified Firms that perform Building Systems Commissioning, Building Enclosure Testing, Cleanroom Performance Testing, Fume Hood Testing, RetroCommissioning, Sound and/or Vibration Measurement, and Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing of HVAC systems."
NFPA - National Fire Protection Association
An association to maintain up-to-date expert information on all fire, electrical, and other hazards. The NFPA develops codes and standards to help minimize the risk of fire.
Top codes and/or standards in the healthcare industry:
NFPA 45 - Fire Protection for Laboratories Using Chemicals
"This standard provides basic requirements to protect life and property through prevention and control of fires and explosions involving the use of chemicals in laboratory operations."
NFPA 50 - Standard For Bulk Oxygen Systems at Consumer Sites
"NFPA 50 contains recommendations for the safe construction of bulk oxygen systems and exposures, containers, and associated equipment."
NFPA 55 - Compressed Gases & Cryogenic Fluids Code
Ensure safety around compressed gases through the installation, use, handling and storage.
NFPA 70 - National Electrical Code
Benchmark for all safe electrical design and installation. See above for adoption state by state.
NFPA 72 - National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code
Detect and warn people of emergency situations on a massive scale.
"Rules cover the application, installation, location, performance, inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire alarm systems, supervising station alarm systems, public emergency alarm reporting systems, fire warning equipment and emergency communications systems (ECS), and their components."
NFPA 99 - Health Care Facilities Code (Medical Gas)
Code "intended for professionals involved in the design, construction, maintenance, and inspection of healthcare facilities, in addition to the design, manufacture, and testing of appliances and equipment used in patient care rooms of the healthcare facilities."
NFPA 101 - Life Safety Code
Occupant safety in healthcare facilities.
Life Safety Code is the most widely used source for strategies for occupant safety throughout the life cycle of a building.
It is coordinated with hundreds of other building "codes and standards such as National Electrical Code NFPA 70, fuel-gas, mechanical, plumbing (for sprinklers and standpipes), energy and fire codes." More on the code.
NIOSH - National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health
An agency that makes recommendations and standards to prevent illness and work-related injuries. The NIOSH is under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and conducts research and provides recommendations for preventing work-related injuries, illnesses, and fatalities.
OPR - Owner's Project Requirement
Requirements given to architects and engineers on how your facility and systems will be used and operated. It is typically developed by the owner (or their representative) and serves as a roadmap for design teams and contractors.
OR - Operating Room
In its simplest form, a room equipped for performing surgical operations.
OSHA - Occupational Safety & Health Administration
The main federal agency responsible for safety and health regulations. Its mission is to assure safe working conditions by setting and enforcing standards. It also aims to educate and train employees and employers with best practices.
PER - Protective Environment Room
A specially designed hospital room used to protect patients who have weakened immune systems, such as those undergoing bone marrow transplants, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy. A PER typically has a positive air pressure system, which means that the air pressure inside the room is higher than the pressure outside the room. This helps to prevent contaminated air from entering the room by forcing the air to flow out of the room and into the surrounding areas.
PM - Preventative Maintenance
Minimize the risk of faulty equipment through inspection, testing, and regular maintenance.
Related Information: 11 (Costly) Dangers of Deferred Maintenance in Facilities
RA - Risk Assessment
"Risk assessment is the determination of quantitative or qualitative estimate of risk related to a well-defined situation and a recognized threat (also called hazard)." - Wikipedia
SASHE - Senior Member of American Society of Hospital Engineers
ASHE is a personal membership group of the American Hospital Association.
"Senior status (SASHE) is granted to an ASHE active member of at least 5 years, who demonstrates a commitment to the healthcare facilities management profession and recognizes their contribution to the industry through leadership, education and publishing."
SOC - Statement of Condition
When it comes to the CMS and the Joint Commission, SOC identifies a healthcare facility’s relative compliance with NFPA 101, Life Safety Code. It is a requirement for funding from the CMS when it pertains to hospitals.
TJC - The Joint Commission
Their mission is to provide safe and top-quality healthcare to hospitals and other healthcare facilities. TJC's accreditations and certifications are recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality. TJC is the primary inspection agent of CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services).
ZVB - Zone Valve Box
A metal box containing subsystem valves that allow shut-offs in various zones. The ZVB must be installed with gauges and removable windows making for easy access.
Conclusion
Hope you received some value from our list...
The most commonly used acronyms used by Healthcare Facility Managers.
Again if you need to find an acronym between A-L, you can find it here. If you know of an acronym that we may have missed or one that you are having trouble with, let us know in the comments.
photo credit: Medical
