Alabama Administrative Code › Title 420 - ALABAMA STATE BOARD OF HEALTH › Chapter 420-5-20 - SPECIALTY CARE ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES › Section 420-5-20-.11 - Fire And Safety

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 9, June 28, 2024
(1)
General.
(a) Fire Safety and
			 Emergency Plan. All specialty care assisted living facilities shall maintain a
			 current written fire safety, relocation, and evacuation plan. In facilities
			 which do not have multiple smoke compartments, an evacuation floor plan shall
			 be appropriately posted in a conspicuous place.
(b) Fire Drills. Fire drills shall be
			 conducted at least once per month in all facilities at varying times and days
			 and quarterly on each shift. All fire drills shall be initiated by the fire
			 alarm system. The drills may be announced in advance to the residents. The
			 drills shall involve the actual evacuation of residents to assembly areas in
			 adjacent smoke compartments or to the exterior as specified in the emergency
			 plan to provide staff and residents with experience in exiting through all
			 exits required by the Life Safety Code. Written observations of the
			 effectiveness of the fire drill plan shall be assessed monthly, filed, and kept
			 for at least three years.
(c) Fire
			 Drills During Resident Sleeping Hours. When drills are conducted between 9 PM
			 and 6 AM, a coded announcement shall be permitted to be used instead of the
			 normal audible fire alarm signals. These drills may be conducted without
			 disturbing sleeping residents, by using simulated residents or empty
			 wheelchairs.
(d) Roller latches are
			 prohibited on doors separating corridors from adjacent spaces.
(e) If alcohol-based hand rub dispensers are
			 used in the facility, the dispensers must be installed in a manner that:
1. Minimizes leaks and spills.
2. Adequately protects against inappropriate
			 access.
3. Complies with the
			 requirements of the currently adopted Life Safety Code.
(f) Fire Alarm and Sprinkler System.
1. Fire Alarm System. Where fire alarm
			 systems are required, a corridor smoke detection system shall be installed on
			 each floor, including areas open to the exit access corridor, to comply with
			 NFPA 72, connected to the facility's fire alarm system. In lieu of corridor
			 smoke detection, smoke detectors connected to the building fire alarm system
			 may be installed in each resident's room, open areas, and at smoke doors
			 (except that corridor smoke detection shall not be deleted when its use is
			 dictated by other requirements).
2.
			 Fire alarm and sprinkler system outages of more than 4 hours require evacuation
			 of the facility or the establishment of a continuous fire watch. The fire watch
			 procedure must be coordinated with the Department and the local Fire Marshal.
			 Outages and fire watch documentation shall be reported to the Department within
			 12 hours or no later than the next duty day, and shall be corrected
			 expeditiously.
3. The fire alarm
			 system and the sprinkler system shall be inspected by licensed, trained, and
			 qualified personnel at least semiannually for compliance with the respective
			 codes. Inspection and Testing reports shall be maintained in the facility for a
			 period of at least 3 years.