Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 111-8-62-.13 - Physical Plant Health and Safety Standards

(1) Each home must be in compliance with fire and safety rules promulgated by the Office of the Safety Fire Commissioner for the personal care homes it regulates.

(2) Each home must be in compliance with applicable local ordinances that specifically address fire safety in homes of that size and function. Private quarters must be maintained in such a manner as to comply with fire safety codes and not threaten the health or safety of residents. In the absence of or in addition to any such local ordinances, the following requirements must be met:

(a) Wall type electric outlets and lamps or light fixtures must be maintained in a safe and operating condition. The home must provide functioning light bulbs for light fixtures.

(b) Cooking appliances must be suitably installed in accordance with approved safety practices. Where metal hoods or canopies are provided, they must be equipped with filters which must be maintained in an efficient condition and kept clean at all times.

(c) Space heaters must not be used, except during an emergency situation after obtaining specific written approval of the fire safety authority having jurisdiction over the home.

(d) Fire screens and protective devices must be used with fireplaces, stoves and heaters, including space heaters.

(e) Each home must be protected with sufficient smoke detectors, powered by house electrical service with battery back-up which, when activated, must initiate an alarm which is audible in the sleeping rooms.

(f) Each home must have at least one charged 5 lb. multipurpose ABC fire extinguisher on each occupied floor and in the basement. These extinguishers must be checked annually to assure they remain in operable condition.

(g) Each home must have a working doorbell or doorknocker which is audible to staff inside at all times.

(h) Exterior doors must be equipped with locks which do not require keys to open them from the inside.

(3) The electrical service of the home must be inspected by a licensed electrician or local code enforcement official and declared free of hazards within no more than six months prior to the date of filing the application for a permit. A signed copy of this inspection report must be submitted to the Department as a part of the application. Electrical service must be maintained in a safe condition at all times. The Department may require a re-inspection of the electrical service at any time renovation or repair work is done in the home or there is a request for a change in capacity or there is reason to believe that a risk to residents exists.

(4) Where the Department has reason to believe, based on the number of residents requiring assistance with ambulation and staffing patterns that the home may not be able to evacuate all of the residents to a designated point of safety within an established period of time as determined by the fire safety officials, the Department may either require the home to conduct an immediate fire safety drill or make a referral for a new compliance determination to responsible fire safety officials. The Department may also require a repeat fire safety inspection where substantial renovations or repairs have been made to the home.

(5) Water and sewage systems must meet applicable federal, state, and local standards and/or regulations.

(6) Floors, walls, and ceilings must be kept clean and in good repair.

(7) Kitchen and bathroom areas must be kept clean and sanitized, at least once daily with disinfectant and more often as needed to insure cleanliness and sanitation.

(8) The storage and disposal of bio-medical and hazardous wastes must comply with applicable federal, state, and local rules and/or standards.

(9) Solid waste which is not disposed of by mechanical means must be stored in vermin-proof, leak-proof, nonabsorbent containers with closefitting covers until removed. Waste must be removed from the kitchen at least daily and from the premises at least weekly.

(10) An insect, rodent or pest control program must be maintained and conducted in a manner which continually protects the health of residents.

(11) Poisons, caustics, and other dangerous materials must be stored and safeguarded in areas away from residents, food preparation and food storage areas, and medication storage areas.

(12) The home must have an adequate hot water system that supplies heated water, comfortable to the touch but not exceeding 120 degrees Fahrenheit (F.) to the residents for their usage.

(13) Entrances and exits, sidewalks, yards and escape routes must be maintained free of any hazards such as refuse, equipment, unsafe furniture, debris or any other impediments. Ice and snow must be cleared from the home's entrances, exits and walkways.

(14) The home must have its house number and name displayed so as to be easily visible from the street.

(15) The exterior of the home must be properly maintained to remain safe and in good repair.

(16) The following evacuation requirements must be met:

(a) Residents who need assistance with ambulation must be assigned bedrooms which have a ground-level exit to the outside or to rooms above ground level which have exits with easily negotiable ramps or easily accessible elevators.

(b) There must be an established procedure and mechanism for alerting and caring for residents in case of emergencies and evacuating them to safety. This procedure must include instructions and evacuation plans posted on each floor of a home. Each sleeping room must have a secondary exit. This secondary exit may be a door or a window usable for escape. A plan showing these routes of escape must be posted in the home on each floor.

(c) A home serving person(s) dependent upon wheelchairs or scooters for mobility must provide at least two exits from the home, remote from each other, that are accessible to these persons.

Notes

Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 111-8-62-.13

O.C.G.A. §§ 31-2-9, 31-7-1, 31-7-2.1, 31-7-12.

Original Rule entitled "Minimum Floor Plan Requirements" adopted. F. Nov. 19, 2009; eff. Dec. 9, 2009. Amended: New Title "Physical Plant Health and Safety Standards". F. Dec. 19, 2012; eff. Jan. 8, 2013. Amended: F. Aug. 24, 2021; eff. Sept. 13, 2021.