How to Install Structural Steel for Medical Equipment Support Systems

There are many details that need to be taken into consideration when planning a medical equipment support system. With so many moving pieces, it can be easy to let details slip through the cracks. These kinds of mistakes can be costly to remedy in the future, taking up both budget and time. One such oversight that we have seen on client projects is adding structural steel beams at the wrong height.

Why Structural Steel Needs to be More Than 3 ¼" Above the Ceiling for Medical Equipment Support Systems

It's common to see plans where the structural steel beams are located perpendicular to the Unistrut at 3 ¼", which is the height of the P1001 ceiling channel. This is not enough room for an adequate medical support system and can cause a domino effect of issues for your project.

Meeting Load Requirements

Let's take load as an example. In most medical applications, like radiology, the system is designed for a 1000 pound load at any point on the system. In order to meet that load rating, the preferred beam clamp to attach P1001 Unistrut (used for the ceiling channel) to the structural steel beam is a P2786. However, this beam clamp is a wraparound style, and if the structural steel is only 3 ¼" above the ceiling height, then that clamp will drop below the ceiling which is typically not acceptable. Raising the structural steel allows you to use the appropriate beam clamp for the load rating without having the clamp visible below the ceiling.

Working With Steel Tolerance Restrictions

Most medical support systems have certain requirements for plumb and level. In order to meet those requirements, you have to work with the restrictions of the structural steel. As our team member cited in his response to a client, most structural steel is not fabricated to the strict tolerances that equipment plans require, so it's possible for a structural steel beam to be ¼-½" off over the course of a span. Installing the structural steel so close to the Unistrut ceiling can mean that those inconsistencies are then transferred to the support system, which then will not meet the level requirements.

Altering Structural Steel Beam Placement from Proposed Medical Equipment Support System Plans

Our team recently heard from a client who wanted to make an adjustment to the proposed plans for their angiography system. They wanted their structural steel support to be directly above the P1001 channel and to have the Unistrut system built from that new point. This would put the steel at 3 ¼" above the ceiling height, which in our extensive experience has proven to be too tight to accommodate the equipment and manufacturing tolerances needed for this application. 

The level requirements of the Unistrut for the angiography equipment is generally within 1/32", and the manufacturing and installation tolerances of the required wideflange beams are typically not that precise. This would most likely result in a system that is closer to ¼" plus or minus in either direction, as opposed to 1/32". While it may be possible to shim things to make everything level, you then run the risk of the installation being too low. 

In addition to the clearance required for the equipment, there were also cables and mechanicals that needed to run through that area, and placing the steel at the newly proposed elevation would prevent that. 

Our team also considers the future of the space when creating plans. Having the steel at 3 ¼" above the ceiling height would lock the client into that height, preventing them from reusing the setup with future new machinery without substantial rework. The ideal situation allows for a truly level and square system that can be reused in the future. 

Ironically, when this client question came in, our construction manager was in the middle of helping another client who was in a similar situation. The second client had placed their steel 3 ¼" above the ceiling, which was preventing the cabling from clearing. It was turning into a substantial rework, costing the client time and budget.

Unistrut Midwest’s Structural Steel Installation Recommendation

To save your team the headache of having to rework your medical support system, we recommend putting structural steel 3 ¾" or more above the ceiling. If you need help designing a plan that meets that standard and also accommodates the requirements of your project, contact our team for assistance

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