Know what you are getting for your money. That’s what we learn from our parents and in our business classes. Kids usually learn the hard way but not everyone remembers the lesson.

 

As an ASSE 6050 Medical Gas Instructor I have had the pleasure of teaching the medical gas codes and installation/testing procedures to several hundred attendees over the past few years. The prerequisite for the class is to have four years of piping installation experience. What I have seen is an increasing amount of piping installers that have never seen, let alone worked on medical gas systems enrolling in the credentialing class.

 

I have heard several attendees with jobs already under contract say they need to pass the class and get the credential so they can get their job done. We even have a lawn sprinkler company trying to take the class because they do piping (so it’s plastic) as they have been awarded a contract to install medical gas systems in a local hospital.

 

Unbelievable!!

 

Does anyone remember that quality, experience and competence need to be determined when selecting a contractor? That is what the NFPA 99 code says. Is the bid the lowest bid or the lowest “qualified” bid? What happened to risk assessment and liability determination? Do we remember that if someone we hire causes an injury or fatality that we may be proportionally guilty of not verifying their experience and qualifications or supervising their work? When did low bid alone become the determining factor when selecting someone to install a critical life safety system?

 

This recession has caused a large amount of contractors that specialized in the residential market to delve into the healthcare market due to the diminished amount of opportunities in residential.

 

Please, ask the questions before bidding. Provide clear specifications and requirements. Ask for references and credentials of those that will be performing the work. Watch for the “bait and switch”. Some owners have the credential but send others without the knowledge or experience to perform the work. Check the references. If a company is good we all have no problem saying so. If they aren’t qualified, share the caution with your fellow professionals.

 

It could save a life! It could save your job! It could save your facility the money lost in a lawsuit and the reputation damage that may take years to repair, if ever at all.

 

Medical Gas Systems are your facilities lifeline. Our lives may depend on it!