This section shall be applicable to existing facilities that do
not have fire sprinkler protection and smoke compartmentation on floors in
which residents reside.
(1) Resident
evacuation capability levels.
(a) Evacuation
capability is the ability of the resident of a facility licensed by the
department of social and health services under chapter 18.20 RCW to respond to
an emergency situation and either evacuate or move to a point of
safety.
(b) Residents shall be
classified by the facility administration in one of the following evacuation
capabilities:
(i) Ambulatory - Persons
physically and cognitively capable of walking or traversing a normal pathway to
safety, including the ascent and descent of stairs, and capable of
self-preservation, without the physical assistance of another person.
(ii) Semiambulatory - Persons physically and
cognitively capable of traversing a normal path to safety with the use of
mobility aids, but unable to ascend or descend stairs without the physical
assistance of another person.
(iii)
Nonambulatory - Persons physically or cognitively unable to walk or traverse a
normal path to safety without the physical assistance of another
person.
(2)
Residents with evacuation capabilities of semiambulatory or nonambulatory must
reside on the grade level floor unless the facility receives written approval
by the director of fire protection to house these residents on other floor
levels.
(3) The facility must not
admit or retain more than two residents with evacuation capabilities of
semiambulatory or nonambulatory unless:
(a)
The facility receives written approval by the director of fire protection to
care for more than two residents with evacuation capabilities of semiambulatory
or nonambulatory; and
(b) The
facility is divided into at least two smoke barrier compartments on each floor;
and
(c) The facility has an
operational automatic sprinkler system throughout the facility, unless the
facility was initially licensed prior to July 1, 2007, and is licensed for six
or fewer residents.
Notes
Wash. Admin. Code §
212-12-020
Amended by
WSR
20-20-062, Filed 10/1/2020, effective
11/1/2020
Statutory Authority:
RCW
18.20.130,
18.46.110,
18.51.140, 41.12.485, 48.48.030,
48.48.045, 70.62.290,
74.15.050. 08-06-050, §
212-12-020, filed 2/28/08, effective 3/30/08. Statutory Authority:
Chapter
19.27 RCW. 02-16-023, §
212-12-020, filed 7/29/02, effective 8/29/02. Statutory Authority:
Chapters
43.63A and 48.48 RCW.
93-05-032 (Order 93-02), § 212-12-020, filed 2/16/93, effective
3/19/93.
