NFPA 99-1996: changes for gas and vacuum systems

Every three years, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) updates its Standard for Health Care Facilities. The latest edition, commonly referred to as NFPA 99-1996, was published in February 1996. A number of the changes made to this edition affect the provisions covering gas and vacuum systems; we discuss these changes and provide some commentary below. In the inset on the next page, we address the international impact of NFPA 99's gas and vacuum system standards. (For a discussion of some of the changes made to the previous version of this standard, NFPA 99-1993, refer to our Standards article in Health Devices 22[8-9], August-September 1993.