Medical gas systems rank high on the list of resources necessary for a hospital to function. Oxygen, medical air, vacuum, and other systems support all manner of life-saving and life-sustaining procedures, from providing oxygen therapy for a COVID-19 patient to providing vacuum during a heart transplant.
In 1987, the American Society of Sanitary Engineering (ASSE) began planning for a document that would outline the minimum standard of qualification for the design and installation of medical gas systems. By 1997, the organization had developed Series 6000, Professional Qualifications Standard for Medical Gas Systems Personnel. Since that year, this standard has been revised on the same schedule as the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) Standard 99, Healthcare Facilities Code.
ASSE Series 6000-2021 covers ten separate qualifications, from generalists and installers to inspectors and designers. Standard 6060 – Designers requires, among other things, at least two years of documented experience in the mechanical and plumbing systems industry and at least 32 hours of training covering ASSE 6060, NFPA 99, NFPA 55, and the FGI Guidelines for certification. This training is required to be a recognized third-party training provider. Essentially, designers must show proficiency in designing space requirements, placement of outlets, inlets, valves, alarms, sizing and layout of piping systems, and calculations for piping, intakes, exhausts, and source equipment.
At Barton Associates, we strive to maintain or exceed industry-standard training and certifications for our employee-owner staff. In keeping with this goal, two of our plumbing designers are now certified as ASSE Series 6000, Standard 6060 Medical Gas System Designers. Stephen Soltis Jr., CPD, LEED AP has decades of experience, yet he continues to stay at the forefront of design and certification standards by challenging himself to provide the highest quality solutions for our clients. If you are looking for the right team to design your healthcare facility or are looking to become part of an employee-owned company, Barton Associates has the experience and the resources to meet your needs. Feel free to reach out to our experienced staff with questions on ASSE certification or other healthcare design professional needs, or contact Stephen Oskin, PE, LEED AP at 814-238-2180 or email to seo@ba-inc.com.