Medical Gas Certification Program

A hospital's medical gas system can literally be a patient's lifeline, bringing medical (breathing) air, nitrous oxide for anesthesia, and pure oxygen. Also piped through a hospital is nitrogen to operate surgical power tools. Removing by vacuum excess blood and organic debris.

These systems are not used in just operating rooms. They are found in hospitals, doctors' offices, dentists' offices, outpatient clinics and nursing homes.

Every day, thousands of lives depend on the proper operation of medical gas systems. Mistakes made in the installation and maintenance of medical gas piping systems have resulted in the deaths of patients in the United States and around the world.

All medical gas piping installers should be experienced craftsmen or craftswomen who have passed appropriate education and training programs, and are certified to preform this work. The Pipe Trades Training Center in San Jose offers one of the most comprehensive medical gas piping installer certification programs in the industry.

Members of the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada are certified in the cleaning, installation and brazing standards necessary to ensure the safety of patients. These piping installers receive at least 40 hours of instruction on medical gas installation methods and maintenance techniques, above and beyond the 54 hours of gas piping training in the five-year apprenticeship program completed by every UA Journey person.

Only contractors who hire UA workers who have been officially certified by the American Medical Gas Institute (AMGI) or the Piping Industry Progress and Education Trust Fund (P.I.P.E.) can be assured these installers who will do the job right, with the health and safety of patients as their top priority.

Certified medical gas piping installers are fully trained to meet the American national standard for health care facilities -- ANSI-NFPA 99 -- a code put forth by the American National Standards Institute and the National Fire Protection Association.

Many so-called qualified piping installers have never heard of ANSI-NFPA 99. When told they must follow the code, some of these unqualified installers complain it is too much trouble. For example, the code requires that medical gas system installers run nitrogen through the lines during brazing to prevent contamination, and this requires extra time and effort.

Certified medical gas piping installers take the extra steps necessary to ensure patient safety.

Welding and Other Certification Programs

The Pipe Trades Training Center offers certification programs in a number of areas, and some of these programs were the first in the nation for certain specialties. As in medical gas certification, through these programs, members of the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada receive the highest level of training.

Among our other certification programs that ensure specialized work is done safely and efficiently:

An independent, licensed testing laboratory is hired for Certification to avoid any conflict of interest.