Section 131.39. Fire safety.

 

(1)   Fire inspection. The licensee of the hospice shall arrange for the following:

(a) At least an annual inspection of the facility by the local fire authority.

(b) Certification by the local fire authority as to the adequacy of the written plan for orderly evacuation of patients in case of fire, as well as to the fire safety of the hospice facility.

(2)   Smoking.

(a) A written policy on smoking, consistent with the provisions in the Wisconsin Clean Indoor Air Act, s. 101.123 , Stats., shall be developed by the licensee of the facility which shall designate areas outside the building where smoking is permitted, if any, and shall be clearly communicated by the staff to a patient within 24 hours after the patient's admission.

(3)   Fire extinguisher.

(a) At least one fire extinguisher with a minimum 2A, 10-B-C rating shall be provided on each floor of the facility. A fire extinguisher shall be located at the head of each stairway. In addition, an extinguisher shall be located so that the maximum area per extinguisher does not exceed 3000 square feet and travel distance to an extinguisher does not exceed 75 feet. The extinguisher on the kitchen floor level shall be mounted in or near the kitchen.

(b) All fire extinguishers shall be maintained in readily useable condition and inspected annually. One year after the initial purchase of a fire extinguisher and annually after that the extinguisher shall be provided with a tag which indicates the date of the most recent inspection.

(c) An extinguisher shall be mounted on a wall or a post where it is clearly visible, unobstructed and mounted so that the top is not over 5 feet high. An extinguisher may not be tied down, locked in a cabinet or placed in a closet or on the floor except that it may be placed in a clearly marked, unlocked wall cabinet used exclusively for that purpose.

(4)   Open flame lights. Candles and other open flame lights are not permitted as a substitute for the building lighting system.

(5)   Fire protection systems.

(a) Location. No facility may install a smoke detection system that is not approved by the department.

(b) Smoke detection systems. Each facility shall have, at a minimum, a low-voltage interconnected smoke detection system to protect the entire facility so that if any detector is activated it triggers an alarm audible throughout the building.

(c) Installation, testing and maintenance.

1. Smoke detectors shall be installed, tested and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations, except that they shall be tested not less than once a month. The hospice shall maintain a written record of tests.

2. Smoke detection systems and integrated heat detectors, if any, shall be tested annually for reliability and sensitivity by a reputable service company in accordance with the specifications in National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standard 72E and the manufacturer's specifications. Detectors found to have a sensitivity outside the approved range shall be replaced. Detectors listed as field adjustable may be either adjusted within the approved range or replaced. A detector's sensitivity may not be tested or measured using a spray device that administers an unmeasured concentration of aerosol into the detector.

(d) Location of detectors.

1. At least one smoke detector shall be located at each of the following locations:

a. At the head of every open stairway.

b. On the stair side of every enclosed stairway on each floor level.

c. In every corridor, spaced not more than 30 feet apart and not further than 15 feet from any wall.

d. In each common use room, including living rooms, dining rooms, family rooms, lounges and recreation rooms but not including kitchens, bathrooms or laundry rooms.

e. In each sleeping room in which smoking is allowed.

f. In each room of the staff living quarters, including the staff office but not including kitchens and bathrooms.

g. In the basement or in each room in the basement except a furnace room or laundry room.

h. In rooms which are differentiated by one or more ceiling drops which exceed 12 inches in height.

2. Detectors in rooms shall be mounted no more than 30 feet apart and no more than 15 feet from the closest wall unless the manufacturer specifies a greater or lesser distance for effective placement. Large rooms may require more than one smoke detector in order for the detection system to provide adequate protection.

(6)   Heat detection.

(a) Hospice facilities licensed after June 1, 1992 which were not previously licensed shall install at least one heat detector integrated with the smoke detection system at each of the following locations:

1. The kitchen.

2. Any attached garage.

(b) Smoke and heat detectors installed under this section shall be listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory that maintains periodic inspection of production of tested equipment and the listing of which states that the equipment meets nationally recognized standards or has been tested and found suitable for use in a specified manner.

(7)   Attached garages.

(a) Common walls between a hospice facility and an attached garage shall be protected with not less than one layer of 5/8-inch Type X gypsum board with taped joints, or equivalent, on the garage side and with not less than one layer of 1/2-inch gypsum board with taped joints, or equivalent, on the hospice side. The walls shall provide a complete separation.

(b) Floor-ceiling assemblies between garages and the hospice facility shall be protected with not less than one layer of 5/8-inch type X gypsum board on the garage side of the ceiling or room framing.

(c) Openings between an attached garage and a hospice facility shall be protected by a self-closing 1-3/4 inch solid wood core door or an equivalent self-closing fire-resistive rated door.

(d) The garage floor shall be pitched away from the hospice facility and at its highest point shall be at least 1-1/2 inches below the floor of the facility.

(e) If a required exit leads into the garage, the garage shall have at least a 32 inch wide service door.

History: CR 10-034 : cr. Register September 2010 No. 657 , eff. 10-1-10.

Note

NFPA's Standard 72E may be consulted at the offices of the Department's Division of Quality Assurance or at the Secretary of State's Office or the Legislative Reference Bureau. A copy can be obtained from the National Fire Protection Association, Battery March Park, Quincy, MA 02269. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1