NFPA 99: Health Care Facilities Code, 2021 Edition

The NFPA 99: Health Care Facilities Code, 2021 Edition, published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), establishes performance criteria for health care facilities to ensure patient and personnel safety related to electrical systems, gas and vacuum systems, and emergency management. Used in conjunction with CILB-approved materials and 1 Exam Prep resources, this code supports Florida contractor license and construction education requirements by addressing topics essential to hospital, clinic, and outpatient facility design compliance. The 2021 edition aligns with exam content for mechanical, plumbing, and building contractors preparing for state and county contractor exams, focusing on risk-based assessment and critical system operation under the authority of the NFPA Standards Council.

NFPA 99, Health Care Facilities Code, offers the latest performance criteria for health care facilities and appliances, including medical gas and vacuum systems, electrical systems, gas equipment, and features of fire protection.

The code features provisions for the installation, inspection, maintenance, and testing of all health care facilities—including hospitals, nursing homes, and limited care settings. 

The 2021 edition introduces several substantial changes to the code, including:

• New guidance describing what to do when clinical spaces are converted to nonclinical spaces with regard to medical gas inlets and outlets
• Introduction of the term responsible facility authority to the code with requirements for professional responsibilities and qualifications
• Removed existing language in Chapter 5 on cryogenic fluid central supply systems, replaced by extracts from NFPA 55 that cover the subject
• New section on health care microgrids in Chapter 6
• Requirements for electrical equipment site acceptance testing and preventive electrical maintenance added to Chapter 6
• Amended procedures for removing flammable liquid–soaked materials from the operating room to require those materials to be removed only from the patient care vicinity
• Requirements for the fire protection of heliports added to Chapter 16 by referencing NFPA 418
• Revisions to the scope to include hyperbaric chambers for veterinary care