Light box for Manual Capture system

[shelleyk482]

We just received the ImmucorGamma manual capture system and our BioMed department will not approve the light box viewer for use. They are concerned that the "approved by UIL" label is on the electrical element inside the box and not on the outside so their interpretation is that the entire viewer is not UIL approved as required by the Life-Safety code. There is also just a 2-pronged plug that doesn't have a ground and the unit is not double insulated.

Has anyone else had this problem? Does anyone know where to get a hospital-safe view box? I did a Google search and all I came up with were expensive Rh view boxes with heaters in them and most places had discontinued these anyway.

[clmergen]

We didn't have any problem with our bio med guys, they just electrical tested it and placed it into service. Why would it need to be double insulated or grounded? Its just a light box? These light boxes have been around for 10 years and no inspector has ever written one up that I know of. I think they are overthinking it.

[yhbiotek]

Please go to

http://www.heathrowscientific.com/catalog/product?deptId=&prodId=15092C&q=Mini+Light+Box

or

http://www.medixcorp.com/catalog/detail.asp?Item_id=4596

Miles

[MAGNUM]

Why dont you just move the UL sticker to the outside of the box. In my opinion they are being tooooooooooooo picky, plus it is only a light box. And the plug, it is very easy to change out a plug and put a grounded plug on even if you dont use the grounding prong. There are always ways to bypass people like your BioMed who are being too picky.

[Townsend]

I agree, sounds like they are being way too picky. We are using the "old school" white light boxes that Immucor recommends. What I don't understand is why they can't incorporate such a simple piece into the workstation so that the extra light box isn't necessary..... I'm just sayin. :handshake

Stephanie Townsend, MT(ASCP)SBB

[sgoertzen]

I can totally relate. Like you, our BioMed department would not let us use the lightbox we received with the manual Capture workstation.

We had to end up ordering a different type of lightbox. The one we bought is called an "Illuminated Viewer" (Model # BL1012/5000K) from "Hall Productions" which is a company in California (San Luis Obispo I believe). Our BioMed guys had no problem with this one and said it was much safer.

[shelleyk482]

I ended up finding a battery-powered light box for $42.00. It still probably doesn't have the UL certification (it's not mentioned in the description) but I convinced Biomed that it posed little to no danger (lower voltage) and since the manual method is a backup to a backup and hopefully will never really be used (Tango is our primary method, Echo will be our back-up and if both of these fail at the same time then we will use the manual capture) I was able to convince them to approve it. I was very frustrated but as a Blood Banker, I know a lot of nurses that think I over-interpret regulations so I guess turn-about is fair play.

[EDibble]

I just found this thread and just checked the lightbox that came with our manual work station. We have had it for over two years and it has a current inspected sticker from our biomed dept. They have been thorough in the past, if not picky, so if they OK'd this, I can't imagine it is not safe.