PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M L Bancroft

Publications and source records attributed to M L Bancroft.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1980

Hazards of hospital bulk oxygen delivery systems.

Numerous problems can occur with liquid oxygen delivery systems, in part because of the complexities of such systems. These systems must comply with guidelines of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals. During the past year, 18 major problems with the liquid oxygen delivery system have occurred at the authors' hospital. Five times, false alarms have resulted from calibration drift in line pressure sensors. Thrice, excessive depletion of the reverse supply has occurred because of pressure imbalance between the main and reserve systems. Twice, excessive depletion of the reserve supply occurred owing to failure of the vacuum seal on the reserve supply vessel. Eight other potentially serious mishaps have also been reported. These problems, which are inherent in liquid oxygen delivery systems, are for the most part preventable.

Accident Prevention↗
PubMed1977

Contamination of medical gas and water pipelines in a new hospital building.

Medical gases and water were sampled and tested for purity prior to the opening of a 176-bed addition to a 450-bed general hospital. Contamination was found. In delivered oxygen, compressed air, and nitrous oxide, this consisted of a volatile hydrocarbon at an initial concentration of 10 parts per million and a dust of fine gray particulate matter. In water from new taps bacterial contamination with as many 400,000 organisms per 100 ml was present. All these contaminants were considered potential hazards to patient safety. Studies were done to help delineate the nature and origin of these contaminants. Each contaminant was eventually largely eliminated by purging the respective pipeline systems with continuous flows. Planners, builders, and responsible medical personnel must be aware of the potential for such hazards in a new hospital building.

Central Supply, Hospital↗