NFPA 99 2026 CHAPTER 3
DEFINITIONS
AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION - answer an organization, office, or individual
responsible for enforcing the requirements of a code or standard, or for approving
equipment, materials, an installation, or a procedure
CODE - answera standard that is an extensive compilation of provisions covering broad
subject matter or that is suitable for adoption into law independently of other codes and
standards
APPROVED - answer acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction
LISTED - answerequipment, materials , or services included in a list published by an
organization that is acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction and concerned with
evaluation of products or services, that maintains periodic inspection of products or
services, and whose listing states that either the equipment, material , or service meets
appropriate designated standards or has been tested and found suitable for a specified
purpose
SHALL - answerindicates a mandatory requirement
SHOULD - answerindicates a recommendation or that which is advised but not required
STANDARD - answeran NFPA standard, the main text of which contains only
mandatory provisions using the word "shall" to indicate requirements and that is in a
form generally suitable for mandatory reference by another standard or code of for
adoption into law. Non-mandatory provisions are not to be considered a part of the
requirements of a standard and shall be located in an appendix, annex, footnote,
information note, or other means as permitted in the NFPA manuals of style. When
used in. a generic sense, such as in the phrases "standards development process" or
"standards development activities" the term "standards" includes all NFPA standards,
including codes, standards, recommended practices, and guides
ADIABATIC HEATING - answerthe heating of a gas caused by its compression
AREA ALARM SYSTEM - answera warning system within an area of use that provides
continuous visible and audible surveillance of Category 1 and Category 2 medical gas
and vacuum systems
CATEGORY 3 ALARM SYSTEM - answera warning system within an area of use that
provides continuous visible and audible surveillance of Category 3 medical gas systems
, LOCAL ALARM SYSTEM - answera warning system that provides continuous visible
and audible surveillance of medical gas and vacuum system source equipment at the
equipment site
MASTER ALARM SYSTEM - answera warning system that monitors the operation and
condition of the source of supply, the reserve source (if any), and the pressure in the
main lines of each medical gas and vacuum piping system
ANESTHETIC - answeras used in this code, applies ot any inhalational agent used to
produce sedation, analgesia, or general anesthesia
ANESTHETIZING LOCATION - answerany location where moderate sedation, deep
sedation, or general anesthesia is intended to be administered
AREA OF ADMINISTRATION - answerany point within a room within 15 ft of oxygen
equipment or an enclosure containing or intended to contain an oxygen-enriched
atmosphere
ATMOSPHERE - answerthe pressure exerted by, and gaseous composition of, an
environment
ATMOSPHERE ABSOLUTE - answerthe pressure of the earth's atmosphere, 14.7 psia
AUXILIARY SOURCE CONNECTION - answera backup connection for a source
medical gas system that serves a facility during equipment replacement or in an
emergency
BULK SYSTEM - answeran assembly of equipment for suppling compressed gas
( consisted of, but not limited to, storage containers, pressure regulators, pressure relief
devices, vaporizers, manifolds, and interconnecting piping) that terminates where the
gas, at service pressure, first enters the main line. The storage containers are either
stationary or movable and include unconnected reserves on hand at the site, and the
source gas is stored as a compressed gas or cryogenic fluid
BULK INERT GAS SYSTEM - answera bulk system with a storage capacity of more
than 20,000 cubic feet of inert gas
BULK NITROUS OXIDE SYSTEM - answera bulk system with a storage capacity of
more. than 3200 lb, approximately 28,000 cubic feet, at normal temperature and
pressure of nitrous oxide
BULK OXYGEN SYSTEM - answera bulk system with a storage capacity of more than
20,000 cubic feet at normal temperature and pressure of oxygen
DEFINITIONS
AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION - answer an organization, office, or individual
responsible for enforcing the requirements of a code or standard, or for approving
equipment, materials, an installation, or a procedure
CODE - answera standard that is an extensive compilation of provisions covering broad
subject matter or that is suitable for adoption into law independently of other codes and
standards
APPROVED - answer acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction
LISTED - answerequipment, materials , or services included in a list published by an
organization that is acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction and concerned with
evaluation of products or services, that maintains periodic inspection of products or
services, and whose listing states that either the equipment, material , or service meets
appropriate designated standards or has been tested and found suitable for a specified
purpose
SHALL - answerindicates a mandatory requirement
SHOULD - answerindicates a recommendation or that which is advised but not required
STANDARD - answeran NFPA standard, the main text of which contains only
mandatory provisions using the word "shall" to indicate requirements and that is in a
form generally suitable for mandatory reference by another standard or code of for
adoption into law. Non-mandatory provisions are not to be considered a part of the
requirements of a standard and shall be located in an appendix, annex, footnote,
information note, or other means as permitted in the NFPA manuals of style. When
used in. a generic sense, such as in the phrases "standards development process" or
"standards development activities" the term "standards" includes all NFPA standards,
including codes, standards, recommended practices, and guides
ADIABATIC HEATING - answerthe heating of a gas caused by its compression
AREA ALARM SYSTEM - answera warning system within an area of use that provides
continuous visible and audible surveillance of Category 1 and Category 2 medical gas
and vacuum systems
CATEGORY 3 ALARM SYSTEM - answera warning system within an area of use that
provides continuous visible and audible surveillance of Category 3 medical gas systems
, LOCAL ALARM SYSTEM - answera warning system that provides continuous visible
and audible surveillance of medical gas and vacuum system source equipment at the
equipment site
MASTER ALARM SYSTEM - answera warning system that monitors the operation and
condition of the source of supply, the reserve source (if any), and the pressure in the
main lines of each medical gas and vacuum piping system
ANESTHETIC - answeras used in this code, applies ot any inhalational agent used to
produce sedation, analgesia, or general anesthesia
ANESTHETIZING LOCATION - answerany location where moderate sedation, deep
sedation, or general anesthesia is intended to be administered
AREA OF ADMINISTRATION - answerany point within a room within 15 ft of oxygen
equipment or an enclosure containing or intended to contain an oxygen-enriched
atmosphere
ATMOSPHERE - answerthe pressure exerted by, and gaseous composition of, an
environment
ATMOSPHERE ABSOLUTE - answerthe pressure of the earth's atmosphere, 14.7 psia
AUXILIARY SOURCE CONNECTION - answera backup connection for a source
medical gas system that serves a facility during equipment replacement or in an
emergency
BULK SYSTEM - answeran assembly of equipment for suppling compressed gas
( consisted of, but not limited to, storage containers, pressure regulators, pressure relief
devices, vaporizers, manifolds, and interconnecting piping) that terminates where the
gas, at service pressure, first enters the main line. The storage containers are either
stationary or movable and include unconnected reserves on hand at the site, and the
source gas is stored as a compressed gas or cryogenic fluid
BULK INERT GAS SYSTEM - answera bulk system with a storage capacity of more
than 20,000 cubic feet of inert gas
BULK NITROUS OXIDE SYSTEM - answera bulk system with a storage capacity of
more. than 3200 lb, approximately 28,000 cubic feet, at normal temperature and
pressure of nitrous oxide
BULK OXYGEN SYSTEM - answera bulk system with a storage capacity of more than
20,000 cubic feet at normal temperature and pressure of oxygen
