In North America and Japan, special power cords are required for use with any equipment in a hospital or medical setting. Some other countries such as Australia, New Zealand, and Denmark use similar recommendations, but they are not technically required by law. This article will focus on power cords required for medical equipment in North America, most notably the United States and Canada.

In Technical Terms

Under regulatory and safety committees in the US and Canada, hospital-grade power cord requirements are highlighted under the following sections:

  • UL 60601-1 and CAN/CSA C22.2 no. 21 (medical equipment standards)
  • UL 817 and CAN/CSA 22.2 no. 21 (power supply cord standards)
  • UL 498 and CAN/CSA 22.2 no. 42 (attachment plug and receptacle standards)

Additionally, they must conform to NEMA WD-6 and UL 817 by meeting the following requirements:

  1. The blade plugs must be made of solid brass, not folded brass.
  2. The blade plugs are nickel-plated.
  3. The plug includes a strain relief or similar device to reduce stress on internal components.
  4. The plug is marked with a “green dot” to signify it is hospital-grade.

These standards can apply to any cord that uses a NEMA 5-15, 5-20, 6-15, or 6-20 plug.

5-15 5-20 6-

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