Utah Admin. Code R432-500-13 - Emergency and Disaster

(1) Each licensee shall ensure the safety and well-being of patients in the event of an emergency or disaster. An emergency or disaster may include utility interruption, explosion, fire, earthquake, bomb threat, flood, windstorm, epidemic, and injury.

(2) The licensee shall ensure the administrator is in charge of facility operations during any significant emergency. If not on the premises, the administrator shall make every effort to get to the facility to relieve the administrator designee to take charge during an emergency.

(3) The licensee and the administrator are responsible for the development of a written emergency and disaster plan, coordinated with state and local emergency or disaster authorities.

(a) The licensee shall make the plan available to each staff member to ensure prompt and efficient implementation.

(b) The administrator and the licensee shall review and update the plan at least annually.

(4) The licensee shall post names and telephone numbers of facility staff, emergency medical personnel, and emergency service systems.

(5) The licensee shall have an internal and external emergency or disaster plan including the following:

(a) evacuation of occupants to a safe place, as specified;

(b) delivery of emergency care and services to facility occupants when staff is reduced by an emergency;

(c) the receiving of patients to the facility from another location, including housing, staffing, medication handling, and record maintenance and protection;

(d) the person with decision-making authority for fiscal, medical, and personnel management;

(e) an inventory of available personnel, equipment, supplies and instructions and how to acquire additional assistance;

(f) staff assignment for specific tasks during an emergency;

(g) names and telephone numbers at each telephone for on-call physicians;

(h) documentation of emergency events;

(i) emergency or disaster drills, other than fire drills are held at least biannually, at least one per shift, with a record of time and date maintained, actual evacuation of patients during a drill is optional; and

(j) notification to the department if the facility is evacuated.

(6) The licensee and administrator shall develop a written fire emergency and evacuation plan in consultation with qualified fire safety personnel that identifies:

(a) evacuation routes;

(b) the locations of fire alarm boxes and fire extinguishers; and

(c) emergency telephone numbers including the local fire department.

(7) The licensee shall post the evacuation plan at several locations throughout the facility.

(8) The emergency plan shall include fire containment procedures and how to use the facility alarm systems, extinguishers, and signals.

(9) The licensee shall hold fire drills at least quarterly on each shift and documentation of the drill shall include a record of the time and date. Actual evacuation of patients during a drill is optional.

(10) The licensee shall ensure smoking policies are compliant with Title 26B, Chapter 7, Utah Indoor Clean Air Act.

Notes

Utah Admin. Code R432-500-13

Amended by Utah State Bulletin Number 2023-17, effective 8/10/2023