In hospital electrical design, red outlets are typically designated for?

• A. Regular power for noncritical devices
• B. Backup generator power
• C. Outdoor circuits
• D. Lighting circuits

Answer: (B)

In hospital electrical design, color coding helps staff know which outlets stay energized during an outage. Red outlets are tied to the building’s emergency power system, connected to a backup generator and an automatic transfer switch so they continue to supply power when utility power fails. This ensures life‑safety and critical patient-care equipment—like monitors, ventilators, and essential devices—remains operational during emergencies. Regular power outlets supply noncritical loads and are not intended to remain powered when the main source goes down, while outdoor and standard lighting circuits are typically part of normal power or have separate considerations.