Wash. Admin. Code § 246-976-290 - Ground ambulance vehicle standards
(1) All ground
ambulance vehicles that are used to transport patients must meet the minimum
standards in this chapter. Ambulance vehicles that meet a national ground
ambulance standard recognized by the department are deemed to have met the
minimum standards in this section.
(2) Equipment required for the safety and
comfort of all occupants must be in good working order.
(3) The body of ambulance vehicles must meet
the following standards:
(a) The length of
the patient compartment must be at least 112 inches in length, measured from
the partition to the inside edge of the rear loading doors;
(b) The width of the patient compartment
after cabinet and gurney installation must provide at least nine inches of
clear walkway;
(c) The height of
the patient compartment must be at least 53 inches at the center of the patient
area, measured from floor to ceiling, exclusive of cabinets or
equipment;
(d) There must be
secondary egress from the vehicle; and
(e) Back doors must open in a manner to
increase the width for loading and unloading patients without blocking existing
working lights of the vehicle.
(4) The interior of ambulance vehicles must
meet the following standards:
(a) A current
state ambulance vehicle credential must be prominently displayed in a clear
plastic cover positioned high on the partition behind the driver's
seat;
(b) The floor at the lowest
level permitted by clearances must provide flat and unencumbered access to the
work area, with no voids or pockets in the floor to side wall areas where water
or moisture can become trapped to cause rusting or unsanitary
conditions;
(c) Floor covering
applied to the top side of the floor surface must withstand washing with soap
and water or disinfectant without damage to the surface. All joints in the
floor covering must have minimal void between matching edges, cemented with a
suitable waterproof cement to eliminate the possibility of joints loosening or
lifting;
(d) The finish of the
entire patient compartment must be impervious to soap and water and
disinfectants to permit washing and sanitizing;
(e) Interior lighting in the driver
compartment must be designed and located so that no glare is reflected from
surrounding areas to the driver's eyes or line of vision from the instrument
panel, switch panel, or other areas which may require illumination while the
vehicle is in motion;
(f) Interior
lighting in the patient compartment must be provided adequately throughout the
compartment, and provide an intensity of 215 lumen at the level of the
patient;
(g) Ambulance vehicles
must have one ABC two and one-half pound fire extinguisher. The extinguisher
must be accessible, be in good physical condition, and in compliance with
servicing requirements; and
(h)
Interior equipment must be kept in a secure manner to provide for the safety of
all occupants in the vehicle.
(5) Ambulance vehicles must be equipped with
manufacturer recommended restraint systems which include:
(a) Seat belts must comply with Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standards 207, 208, 209, and 210;
(b) Gurney restraints that comply with
manufacturer recommendations must be used on patients during
transport;
(c) Ambulance vehicles
must have manufacturer recommended hardware installed that is in good working
order to secure a gurney in the vehicle for transport;
(d) Restraints must be provided in all seat
positions in the vehicle, including attendant stations;
(e) Restraints must be provided for patients
when equipment such as a backboard or scoop stretcher is used to move a patient
from surface to surface. A means to secure this equipment to the gurney or a
bench seat must be provided for transport;
(f) Seat belts and related restraints must
permit quick attachment and detachment for quick transfer of a patient;
and
(g) Appropriate restraints for
pediatric patients must be provided and used in a manner and location
consistent with all applicable manufacturer recommendations.
(6) The exterior of ambulance
vehicles must meet the following standards:
(a) The ambulance vehicle must be clearly
identified as an emergency medical services vehicle;
(b) The ambulance vehicle must display the
agency or service identification by reflective emblems and markings on the
front, sides, and rear of the vehicle;
(c) The ambulance vehicle must have
retro-reflective paint or tape, stripes or markings, or a combination of
stripes and markings that are a minimum of six inches in width affixed to the
full length of both sides and the rear of the vehicle;
(d) A minimum of 50 percent of the rear of
the vehicle surface must be equipped with a retro-reflective pattern on
ambulance vehicles built in the year 2020 and thereafter;
(e) Emergency warning lights and audible
warning signals must be provided in accordance with national ambulance
standards recognized by the department ;
(f) Windshield wipers and washers must be
dual, multispeed, and functional at all times;
(g) Ambulance vehicles must have exterior
mirrors on the left and right side of the vehicle and mounted to provide
maximum rear vision from the driver's seated position;
(h) Exterior lights must be fully
operational, and include body-mounted floodlights over the patient loading
doors to provide loading visibility;
(i) Exterior surfaces must be smooth, with
projections kept to a minimum; and
(j) Equipment stored in exterior compartments
must be secured in a manner to provide for the safety of all occupants in the
vehicle.
(7) Mechanical
and electrical components of ambulance vehicles must meet the following
standards:
(a) The electrical power generating
system must be capable of sustaining all systems and must be appropriately
ventilated and sealed according to manufacturer recommendations;
(b) If the electrical system uses fuses
instead of circuit breakers, extra fuses must be readily available;
(c) Within the engine compartment of the
ambulance vehicle, hoses, belts, and wiring must not have any obvious defects;
and
(d) Vehicle brakes, regular and
special electrical equipment, heating and cooling units, safety belts, and
window glass must be always functional.
Notes
Statutory Authority: Chapters 18.71, 18.73, and 70.168 RCW. 11-07-078, § 246-976-290, filed 3/22/11, effective 5/15/11; 00-08-102, § 246-976-290, filed 4/5/00, effective 5/6/00. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.70.040 and chapters 18.71, 18.73 and 70.168 RCW. 93-01-148 (Order 323), § 246-976-290, filed 12/23/92, effective 1/23/93.
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