How to Get Certified in Medical Gas Piping
A medical gas piping system provides medical facilities with gases such as oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen. These gases are used in surgeries, to maintain clean air all throughout the hospital and to provide power to surgical equipment. Only pipe fitters certified in medical gas piping are allowed to install and operate medical gas piping systems. You should be at the journeyman level in a pipe fitting career before gaining your certification.
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Instructions
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Enroll in a 32 hour training course for installing medical gas systems and brazing. Places for taking these courses include AW Johnson and Associates in Fallbrook, Calif, the Pipe Trades Training Center in San Jose, Calif. or the Environmental & Medical Gas Services (EMGS, Inc.), which offers training classes nationally.
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Purchase, or borrow a copy of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 99 manual. It's the book of the technical standards for health care facilities, and you must know the sections that pertain to medical piping structures. A solid grasp of this manual will ensure you have the best chance of passing your test and getting your certification.
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Download requirement and preparation guides for your medical gas installer and brazer certification exam from the National Inspection, Testing and Certification Corporation (NITC). Complete an exam request form. The exam costs $108 as of 2010, and you can call NITC at 877 - 457 - 6482 to make a payment, or for more information about testing sites.
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Score at least 90% on your medical gas installer exam, and pass your brazing examination. You should have your test results two weeks after the date you complete test tasking.
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Send a photograph, your current address and proof of your current medical gas installer and brazer certifications to the NITC office to receive your medical gas installer i.d. card. Call NITC's Louisiana office for more details, 888 - 234 - 6834.
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Tips & Warnings
Join the United Association (UA), also known as the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry, to get the minimum 4 years experience you need to become certified in medical pipe fitting. Once you finish an apprenticeship through the union, you can become a journeyman and can work towards certification in medical gas instillation.
If you only pass the medical gas installer exam, you must re-take the brazing exam to get your certification. The cost for the brazing exam alone is $66.50, as of 2010.
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- Photo Credit Equipment, cables and piping as found inside of a modern industr image by Andrei Merkulov from Fotolia.com
