440 IAC 7.5-2-13 - Safety requirements

Authority: IC 12-21-2-3

Affected: IC 12-22-2

Sec. 13.

(a) The agency shall have written policies and procedures to ensure resident and staff safety.

(b) The policies and procedures regarding resident and staff safety must be:

(1) given to all personnel and residents; and

(2) made available to others on request.

(c) The agency or its subcontractor shall demonstrate that it has provided each resident, householder, and staff member with life safety equipment as follows:

(1) There shall be an Underwriter's Laboratories approved battery-operated smoke detector in good working order on each floor of a residence and in each bedroom unless another type of alarm or detector has been installed by the landlord to comply with a local ordinance.

(2) In the case of the visually impaired resident, the residence shall be equipped with audible life safety devices.

(3) In the case of the hearing impaired resident, the residence shall be equipped with visual life safety devices.

(4) A five (5) pound ABC multipurpose type extinguisher, or the equivalent, shall be located on each floor of the facility.

(5) In a sub-acute facility, a supervised group living facility, or a transitional residential facility, at least one (1) ten (10) pound ABC multipurpose type extinguisher shall be located in the kitchen.

(d) All:

(1) sprinkler systems;

(2) fire hydrants;

(3) standpipe systems;

(4) fire alarm systems;

(5) portable fire extinguishers;

(6) smoke and heat detectors; and

(7) other fire protective or extinguishing systems or appliances; shall be maintained in an operative condition at all times and shall be replaced or repaired where defective.

(e) Each resident, householder, and staff member shall be trained in procedures to be followed in the event of:

(1) tornado;

(2) fire;

(3) gas leak; and

(4) other threats to life safety.

(f) Use of space heaters and unventilated fuel heaters is prohibited.

(g) Residential living facilities and operations shall conform to all applicable federal, state, or local health and safety codes, including the following:

(1) Fire protection.

(2) Building construction and safety.

(3) Sanitation.

(h) Residential living facilities shall maintain current documentation of compliance with all applicable codes.

(i) Every closet door latch shall be such that it can be opened from the inside in case of emergency.

(j) Every bathroom door shall be designed to permit the opening of the locked door from the outside in an emergency.

(k) The following are the requirements for all facilities, except sub-acute facilities that meet the fire prevention and building safety commission requirements for an I-3 occupancy as adopted by reference under 675 IAC 13-2.4-1(a):

(1) Exit doors shall be openable from the inside without the use of a key or any special knowledge or effort.

(2) No door in the required path of egress shall be:

(A) locked;

(B) chained;

(C) bolted;

(D) barred;

(E) latched; or

(F) otherwise rendered unusable.

(3) All locking devices shall be in compliance with the rules of the fire prevention and building safety commission.

(l) A sub-acute facility meeting the fire prevention and building safety commission requirements for an I-3 occupancy as adopted by reference under 675 IAC 13-2.4-1(a) may be a locked or secure facility.

(m) The administration of the facility shall have a written posted plan for evacuation in case of fire and other emergencies.

(n) For all facilities, except semi-independent living facilities, fire evacuation drills shall be conducted monthly. The shift conducting the drill shall be alternated to include each shift once a quarter. At least one (1) drill each year shall be conducted during sleeping hours. A tornado drill shall be conducted each spring for all staff and residents.

(o) Residents of semi-independent living facilities shall be trained to handle emergency evacuation situations.

(p) Where smoking is permitted, noncombustible safety-type ash trays or receptacles, for example, glass, ceramic, or metal, shall be provided.

(q) All combustible rubbish, oily rags, or waste material, when kept within a building or adjacent to a building, shall be securely stored in metal or metal-lined receptacles equipped with tight-fitting covers or in rooms or vaults constructed of noncombustible materials. Dust and grease shall be removed from hoods above stoves and other equipment at least every six (6) months.

(r) No combustibles shall be stored within three (3) feet of furnaces or water heaters.

(s) The facility shall not use any type of solid fuel-burning appliance, except fireplaces.

(t) Fireplace safety requirements shall be as follows:

(1) If the fireplace is used, the chimney flue shall be cleaned annually and a written record of the cleaning retained.

(2) Glass doors, a noncombustible hearth, and grates shall be provided for each fireplace in use.

(3) Ashes from the fireplace shall be disposed of in a noncombustible covered receptacle. The receptacle shall then be placed on the ground and away from any building or combustibles.

(4) Proper fireplace tools shall be provided for each fireplace in use.

(u) The facility shall maintain all fuel-burning appliances in a safe operating condition. There shall be an annual inspection by a qualified inspector of all fuel-burning appliances.

(v) The gas and electric shutoffs shall be labeled and easily accessible in case of emergency.

Notes

440 IAC 7.5-2-13

Division of Mental Health and Addiction; 440 IAC 7.5-2-13; filed Jun 10, 2002, 2:25 p.m.: 25 IR 3135; filed Mar 30, 2005, 3:00 p.m.: 28 IR 2361; readopted filed Nov 5, 2008, 3:50 p.m.: 20081119-IR-440080742RFA; readopted filed Jul 21, 2011, 9:39 a.m.: 20110817-IR-440110249RFA Readopted filed 6/19/2017, 10:11 a.m.: 20170719-IR-440170221RFA Readopted filed 5/10/2023, 2:25 p.m.: 20230607-IR-440230142RFA