Damon High, a consultant at international testing, certification, qualification, training, and consultancy services provider TÜV Product Service, examines the issue of electromagnetic interference in hospitals, highlighting the areas that equipment suppliers and estates and facilities managers/healthcare engineers need to consider to ensure both the continuing safe, reliable operation of equipment, and compliance with the latest legislation.
Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is a significant area of concern within the healthcare sector. Hospitals present a complex electromagnetic environment made up of many systems. Failures in compatibility between systems can lead to incidents that may compromise patient safety. EMC must therefore be considered in the site selection, design and construction, and layout, of equipment within healthcare facilities, as well as in terms of the compliance of the equipment purchased for use within the facility. In July 2007, EMC Directive 89/336/EEC was repealed by Directive 2004/108/EC, with a two-year transition period. Therefore, from July 2009 it has no longer been possible to declare compliance against Directive 89/336/EEC. Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) effects range from minor annoyances due to crackles on broadcast reception, to potentially fatal accidents due to corruption of safety-critical control systems. As more electronic systems are developed and released into society, so too does the potential for interference effects. The definition of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is: “The ability of a device, equipment, or system, to function satisfactorily in its electromagnetic environment without introducing intolerable electromagnetic disturbance to anything in that environment”. The Essential Requirements of the EMC Directive state that the equipment shall be designed and manufactured so as to ensure that: r The electromagnetic disturbance it generates (the “emissions”) does not exceed a level “above which radio and telecommunications equipment, or other equipment, cannot operate as intended”. r It has a level of immunity to the electromagnetic disturbance “to be expected in its intended use, which allows it to operate without unacceptable degradation of its intended use”.
The new Directive
EMC Directive 2004/108/EC
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