In a healthcare facility, low-voltage equipment that is frequently in contact with the body must operate at which maximum voltage, unless it is intrinsically safe, double insulated, or moisture resistant?

• A. 10 volts
• B. 100 volts
• C. 24 volts
• D. 120 volts

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that parts of medical equipment that touch the patient are kept at very low voltages to minimize the risk of electric shock. Keeping the voltage at or below 10 volts on those applied parts makes it extremely unlikely for dangerous current to pass through the body, even if skin is damp or damaged. This is a safety approach used for devices that are frequently in contact with patients.

If a device is intrinsically safe, double insulated, or moisture resistant, these protections reduce or limit the energy available in fault conditions, so higher voltages can be considered safe in those cases. But without those protections, the safe limit remains at 10 volts, because higher voltages like 24, 100, or 120 volts present a substantially greater risk of dangerous current through the body.