Section 400.4602. Definitions.

Rule 602. As used in this part:

(a)   "Approved" means acceptable to the department and fire inspecting authority and in accordance with these rules. The department shall make the final approval based on recommendations from the fire inspecting authority.

(b)   "Basement" means a story of a building or structure having ½ or more of its clear height below average grade for at least 50% of the perimeter of the story.

(c)    "Combustible" means that any part of a material can ignite and burn when subjected to fire or excessive heat.

(d)   "Conversion" or "converted" means a change, after the effective date of these rules, in the use of a facility or portion thereof from some previous use to that of a licensed or approved institution, or an increase in capacity from a residential group home facility to a small facility or a large facility or a change in a secure facility. A converted facility shall comply with these rules for fire safety for converted facilities.

(e)     "Existing facility" means a building, accessory buildings and surrounding grounds which are licensed or approved by the department as an open institution for 6 or fewer residents at the time these rules take effect and which is not unoccupied or unlicensed for more than 90 consecutive days thereafter. Where an increase in capacity or change in use affects fire safety requirements, the facility shall comply with all applicable requirements prior to the increase or change in use.

(f)    "Facility" means a building and surrounding grounds and recreational areas owned, leased, or primarily rented by a child care organization for use as a residential group home facility to house and sleep residents. "Facility" includes new, remodeled, converted, and existing facilities. Any portion of a facility not used by residents and not used as a required means of egress and which is separated from the rest of the facility by an approved fire barrier, and buildings used by the residents strictly for up and awake activities do not need to meet these rules for fire safety. However, the right of the fire inspecting authority to inspect a nonuse area for hazardous use, or any building on the grounds that is used by the residents strictly for up and awake activities, is retained and directives relative to fire safety of such area or building may be issued to assure the fire safety of the those use areas.

(g)   "Fire alarm device" means an approved device capable of sounding an alarm. A fire alarm shall be specifically designated as such and shall not be used for any purpose other than sounding an alarm of fire or other emergency or for fire drills. The device shall be loud enough to be heard throughout the facility under normal conditions. A device may be a bell, a horn, a whistle, or any other device acceptable to the fire inspecting authority.

(h)   "Fire resistance rating" means the time in hours or fractions thereof that materials or their assemblies will resist fire exposure as determined by fire tests established and conducted by approved testing laboratories.

(i)   "Means of egress or exit" means an unobstructed way of departure from any point in a building to safe open air outside at grade.

(j)   "Newly constructed," "new construction," or "new facility" means a structure or addition to a facility after the effective date of these rules.

(k)      "Non-ambulatory" means a resident, including a resident confined to a wheelchair, who is physically or mentally incapable of traversing a path to safety without the aid of another person. A path to safety includes the ascent and descent of any stairs or other approved means of egress from the building.

(l)    "Remodeled" means changes in a facility that modify existing conditions and includes renovation. Remodeled and affected areas of an institution shall conform to these rules for fire safety for remodeled and converted facilities. Unaffected areas of a facility are not required to conform to the required provisions for remodeled and converted facilities.

(m)   "Residential group home facility" means a building used to house not more than 6 residents and is not a secure facility.

(n)   "Second story" means the story of a building above the highest story that has a means of egress that is not more than 4 feet to grade.

(o)     "Street floor" means the lowest story of a facility that is not a basement.

(p)   "Story" means that part of a building between a floor and the floor or roof next above.

History: 1983 AACS; 2015 AACS.