What spare parts should a hospital keep for a PSA plant?

What the guidance asks for

Global Fund sustainability guidance (22 August 2024) recommends a spare parts inventory for at least two years, kept in a designated secure space and actively tracked, with the list developed after consulting the manufacturer, since each plant's list depends on its manufacturer and design. The 2020 WHO interim specification (superseded by WHO's technical specifications of 31 December 2024) asked for a 3-year spare parts kit following the recommended preventive maintenance programme, listed with part numbers, descriptions, unit cost and brand or model, giving examples such as circuit breakers, printed circuit boards, sieve beds, compressor components, valves, wheels, motor capacitors and the analyser, plus inlet filters and outlet bacteria filters for 3 years of operation. UNDP (REQ-OXY-001, effective 1 January 2025) also asks for a 3-year kit, and for spare part kits to remain available throughout the plant's life, listed with part numbers, quantities, brand or model and expiry dates where applicable.

Plan by running hours

Global Fund guidance on spare parts (25 September 2025) separates spare parts, kept to replace broken or worn components such as belts or bearings, from consumables used up in operation, such as oil or filters. Each piece of equipment has its own service intervals in the manufacturer's manual: in the guidance's example of three components of an air compressor, the oil filter kit is due every 2,000 hours, the oil separator every 4,000 hours and the thermostatic valve every 8,000 hours. Parts are typically needed by running hours rather than by calendar, so a plant running 24 hours a day reaches 2,000 hours in 83 days and one running 8 hours a day in 250 days, and in dusty environments filters may clog sooner.

Why the stock matters

According to the same guidance, having the right part on hand can bring a plant back into service within 1 to 2 hours, while a part that has to be ordered can leave it down for 1 to 2 months or longer; lead times run from several weeks to several months. It advises quoting the machine's serial number when ordering, buying only from the manufacturer or an authorised distributor, since parts from unauthorised suppliers may void the warranty, and sharing the planned list with the manufacturer to confirm nothing has been overlooked. PATH and CHAI (2021) likewise advise, in many settings, a stockpile of manufacturer-recommended spare parts so that interruptions remain short.

Storage and records

The Global Fund guidance asks for parts to be stored in a secure indoor place, not inside the plant room or container, where cardboard boxes can pose a fire risk; for a stock list with part numbers, manufacturer, vendor, lead time and a minimum quantity for each critical item; and for a physical inventory once a month. Parts can also be held centrally, for example by the ministry of health, or by the supplier on the owner's behalf. WHO's Foundations of medical oxygen systems (2023) adds that storage must consider the shelf life of parts and that stores should be secured and covered. UNDP also asks for operators to have a maintenance toolkit with an oxygen analyser, testing and mechanical tools and personal protective equipment.

ULTRAOX

The ULTRAOX datasheet (2022) lists the air treatment as a water separator with electronic drain and high-efficiency micro, sub-micro and activated carbon filters. The ULTRAOX SC has 1 or 2 oxygen analysers with a zirconium oxide probe, and with its oil-less ULTRACECO compressors it has one service at 10,000 hours. Original spare parts are supplied through UltraCare.