Section 330.1803. Facility environment; fire safety.  


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  • Rule 1803. (1) A facility that has a capacity of 4 to 6 clients shall be equipped with an interconnected multistation smoke detection system which is powered by the household electrical service and which,  when   activated, initiates an alarm that is audible in all areas of  the   home.  The  smoke detection system shall be  installed   on all levels, including basements, common activity areas, and outside each sleeping area, but excluding crawl spaces and unfinished attics, so as to provide full coverage of the home.The system shall include a battery backup  to  assure  that  the  system  is operable if there is an electrical power failure and accommodate the sensory impairments of clients living in the facility, if needed. A fire safety system shall be installed in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions by a licensed electrical contractor and inspected annually.A record of the inspections shall be maintained at the facility.

    (2)   A facility that has a capacity of 3 or fewer clients shall be equipped with an assured alarm that has detectors located at least on each level of the home, including basements, but excluding crawl spaces and unfinished attics, and in each common use area and outside each sleeping area. To  be assured, the alarm shall be easily  heard  in all locations of the home, including during times where there is background noise that may detract from hearing the alarm, for example, laundry equipment operation or vacuuming. The assured alarm is not required to be interconnected.

    (3)   A facility that has a capacity of 4 or more clients shall conduct and document fire drills at least once during daytime, evening, and sleeping hours during every 3- month period.

    (4)   A facility that has a capacity of 3 or fewer clients shall conduct and document fire drills 4 times a year. Two of the 4 fire drills shall be conducted during sleeping hours.

    (5)   The capability of the clients to evacuate a facility in the event of a fire shall be assessed using methods described in appendix f of the 1985 life safety code of the national fire protection association. Appendix f of the 1985 life safety code of the national fire protection association is adopted by reference as part of these rules. A copy of the adopted appendix f is available from the Department of Mental Health, Lewis Cass Building, Lansing,

    MI 48913, at cost. A copy of appendix f may also be  obtained  from  the National Fire Protection Association Library, Battermarch Park, P.O. Box 9101, Quincy, Massachusetts 02269-9101, 1-800-344-3555. A prepaid fee may be required by the national fire protection association for a copy of appendix f.  A price quote for copying of these pages may be  obtained from the national fire protection association.

    (6)  Evacuation assessments shall be conducted within 30  days  after  the admission of each new client and at least annually thereafter. The specialized program shall forward a copy of each completed assessment to the responsible agency and retain a copy in the home for inspection. A home that is assessed as having an evacuation difficulty index of "impractical" using appendix f of the life safety code of the national fire protection association shall have a period of 6 months from the date of the finding to do either of the following:

    (a)  Improve the score to at least the "slow" category.

    (b)     Bring the home into compliance with the physical plant standards for "impractical" homes contained in chapter 21 of the 1985 life safety code of the national fire protection association, which are adopted by reference in these rules and which may be obtained from the Department of Mental Health, Lewis Cass Building, Lansing, MI 48913, at cost, or from the National Fire Protection Association Library, Battermarch Park, P.O.Box 9101, Quincy, Massachusetts 02269-9101, 1-800-344-3555. A  prepaid fee may be required by the national fire protection association for a copy of the chapter 21 standards. A price quote for copying of these pages may be obtained from the national fire protection association.

History: 1996 AACS.