Code Question & Answer on Section 24 – Patient Care Areas

July 14, 2025

The rules for the installation of panelboards, circuits, and bonding in Patient Care Area depends on whether the area is designated as either, Basic Care, Intermediate Care or Critical Care.

How are these areas defined?

Answer:

Patient care areas

According to Rule 24-002, patient care areas are areas intended primarily for the provision of diagnosis, therapy, or care. Also, note that patient care areas include not only hospitals but also patient care areas of other health care facilities and medical clinics where basic, intermediate, or critical care is carried out. Appendix B contains important additional notes for this section.

Rule 24-100 describes that the rules of this part apply to patient care areas designated as basic, intermediate, or critical care. These areas are designated by the health care facility administration in accordance with CSA Z32-15 Electrical safety and essential electrical systems in health care facilities and CSA Z8000-11 Canadian health care facilities.

• Basic care area — a patient care area where body contact between a patient and medical electrical equipment is neither frequent nor usual.
• Intermediate care area — a patient care area in which body contact between a patient and medical electrical equipment is frequent or normal.
• Critical care area — a patient care area that is an anaesthetizing location, or in which cardiac contact between a patient and medical electrical equipment is frequent or normal.

Read more on Section 24 — Health care areas