What type of alarm does a Category 1 medical-surgical vacuum system activate when the backup pump is running?

A Category 1 medical-surgical vacuum system is designed to operate efficiently and ensure patient safety by having a backup pump that activates under specific conditions. When the backup pump is running, it typically signals the need for attention to ensure the system is functioning correctly. The type of alarm that is activated in this case is a local alarm.

Local alarms are specifically intended to alert personnel in the vicinity of the equipment to an issue that may require immediate action, such as a failure in the primary vacuum system or the activation of a backup system. These alarms are crucial in medical environments where timely responses are essential to patient care.

Understanding the role of local alarms in medical-surgical vacuum systems is important for ensuring operational readiness and safety in medical facilities. This specificity in alerting is designed to help medical staff respond quickly to issues, maintaining the integrity of the supplied medical vacuum for surgical and procedural needs.