NFPA-99 Practice Exam

What component is designed to prevent the incorrect connection of medical gas supply lines?

1. Shutoff valve

2. Backflow preventer

3. Gas specific outlet

4. Pressure regulator

The correct answer is: Gas specific outlet

The component that is specifically designed to prevent the incorrect connection of medical gas supply lines is the gas-specific outlet. This design feature ensures that only compatible gas delivery devices can be connected to the corresponding gas supply outlet, thereby minimizing the risk of cross-connections that could lead to dangerous situations. Each type of medical gas—such as oxygen, nitrous oxide, or medical air—has a unique connection interface within the gas-specific outlet system, which makes it physically impossible to connect a device intended for one type of gas to a source meant for another. In medical facilities, this safety mechanism is crucial to maintaining the integrity and safety of gas delivery systems, ensuring that patients receive the correct type of gas for their treatments. Other components, such as shutoff valves, backflow preventers, and pressure regulators, serve different functions within the medical gas systems, such as controlling flow, preventing reverse flow, or managing outlet pressure, but they do not specifically address the issue of connecting the wrong gas supply lines.