Life Safety Codes for

Assisted Living Facilities

Doug HohbeinAssistant State Fire Marshal

Nebraska State Fire Marshal Agency doug.hohbein@nebraska.gov

402-471-9478

Assisted Living Facilities

Receive annual inspections from the State Fire Marshal or Delegated Authority

New construction, remodeling, additions or changes to the use of spaces must be approved prior to construction

Submit plans to the State Fire Marshal’s Office or delegated authority

For more information: www.sfm.nebraska.gov

Codes, Codes, Codes

2000 Edition of the Life Safety Code

NFPA 101

www.nfpa.org

2012 LSC coming in 2019

ALF’s classified as:

Limited Care Facility or

Residential Board and Care

The Choice is Yours

An ALF can be classified one of two ways:

Limited Care Facility (LCF)

Requirements similar to Nursing Home

Residential Board and Care (RBC)

Requirements similar to apartment

Different requirements found in different chapters of the Code.

LSC Inspector will verify compliance with the choice that is made

A change of occupancy from RBC to LCF requires compliance with the requirements of new construction

Assisted Living Facilities

Limited Care OR Residential Board/Care

What am I?

Check your CO

Know your Residents

Ability to respond to an emergency independently

Admission/Retention Policies

An ALF must be classified as a Limited Care Facility or a Residential Board and Care Occupancy

Limited Care Facility Six foot wide corridors

Smoke Barriers

Full fire sprinkler system (NFPA 13)

Construction type

Residential Board and Care

No construction limitations

NFPA 13R fire sprinkler system

Corridor walls ½ hour fire rated

Corridor doors 20 minute fire rated

RBC Fire Drills Must conduct Six fire drills every year

All residents must reach a point of safety in

13 minutes or less

All residents must physically participate in drills and reach a point of safety with little to no assistance

Must conduct drills at varying times (2 at night)

Use different egress path for every drill, if possible

Residents may be informed in advance of drill

Point of Safety

1. Exterior to, and away from the building

2. Within an exit enclosure (stairway)

3. Within another portion of the building separated by a 20 minute rated smoke barrier #’s 2 & 3 can be used only if

building is fire sprinkler protected or there is 1 hour structural fire protection

Maintaining RBC Classification

Will be evaluated annually by inspection of records

If a drill takes more than 13 minutes

Classification changes to Limited Care Facility or;

Improve drill times by;

Adding staff to assist

Removing resident(s) who are unable to participate in drills

Use admission and retention policies to insure compliance as residents age in place

Fire Drills, Limited Care Facilities

Must be conducted as a Health Care occupancy

12 drills per year (1 per shift quarterly)

Drills involve staff only. No evacuation of residents required

ALL drills, regardless of occupancy classification must be documented

How Not to Run a Fire Drill

We Have Issues Alcohol-based hand

sanitizers

Kitchen hoods/protection

Candles

Candle Warmers, Space Heaters, etc.

Electric Blankets

Christmas Trees/decorations

Oxygen

Fire Evacuation

Power Strips

Documentation

Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizers

Permitted in corridors of Limited Care Facilities with restrictions

Not permitted in corridors of Residential Board and Care Occupancies

Kitchen Hoods/Protection

Cooking equipment that produces smoke or grease-laden vapors must be protected

There are several options available for a LCF regarding residential cooking equipment/corridors

Hood/fire-extinguishing equipment must be inspected Semiannually or more depending on cooking volume/type. Clean if contaminated.

Documentation!

Candles

Not permitted in Assisted Living Facilities

Candle Warmers, Space Heaters, etc.

Portable heaters are not permitted in sleeping rooms

Other portable heating devices must be carefully regulated

Electric Blankets and Heating Pads

Unless mandated by a physician they are not permitted in a Limited Care Facility

Strongly discouraged in Residential Board and Care Occupancies

Christmas Trees and Decorations

Natural cut trees and “live” decorations are not permitted in any Assisted Living Facility

Artificial trees must be labeled as flame retardant or fire resistant

Lights must be UL listed

Applies to trees, wreaths and similar decorations

http://www.fire.nist.gov/tree_fire.htm

Decorations in LCF

Must be flame retardant/treated OR

Photos, Paintings, other Art are not required to be flame retardant/treated and attached to walls, ceiling or non-fire rated doors and cover not more than:

20% if not fire sprinkler protected

30% if fire sprinkler protected

50% in resident sleeping room

Oxygen Storage and use must

meet NFPA 99 in LCF

Special provisions for liquid oxygen

See handout

Fire Evacuation

Power Strips

Cannot use in place of permanent wiring.

Specially approved (UL Listed) power strips in patient vicinity.

Fire Door Inspection

All fire rated doors must be inspected annually under the 2012 LSC.

Must be conducted by a person having knowledge and understanding of the operating components (not certified)

11-point inspection includes:

Obstructions

Force to open

Closer

Latching

No security devices that affect egress

Document!

Special Door Inspection

In 2012 LSC certain doors in RBC must be inspected (does not apply to LCF)

Doors with panic hardware

Doors to stairs

Doors with electronic locking

No specific tests listed

Must verify proper operation

Document!

Documentation Document everything!

Fire Drills

Hood/Fire Suppression

Generator (many inspections)

Fire Alarm

Fire Sprinkler

Fire Evacuation Plan

Fire Watch

Emergency Lighting

Fire Extinguishers

Fire Doors

Boiler/Elevator

Questions?