Iowa Administrative Code › Agency 481 - Inspections and Appeals Department › Inspections Division › Chapter 61 - Minimum Physical Standards for Nursing Facilities › Rule 481-61.2 - General Requirements

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 3, July 24, 2024
Nursing facilities licensed under this chapter shall be built
				  in accordance with the following construction standards:
(1) Construction shall be in conformance with
				661-Chapter 205, Fire Safety Requirements for Hospitals and Health Care
				Facilities. Projects required to meet the provisions of the state building code
				shall be deemed to be in compliance with the fire safety requirements of the
				state building code if the project is in compliance with the provisions of
				661-Chapter 205.
(2) Construction
				shall be in conformance with 661-Chapter 301, State Building Code- General
				Provisions. Projects meeting the local building code shall be deemed to be in
				compliance with the state building code provided that the local jurisdiction
				has established a building department, has adopted a building code by ordinance
				and enforces the local code through a system which includes both plan review
				and inspection.
(3) Construction
				shall be in accordance with the standards set forth in the Guidelines for
				Design and Construction of Residential Health, Care, and Support Facilities,
				2018 edition, published by the Facility Guidelines Institute.
(4) Nothing in these rules shall relieve a
				nursing facility from compliance with fire and building codes, ordinances and
				regulations which are enforced by city, county, state or federal
				jurisdictions.
(5) New equipment.
				Any alteration or installation of new equipment shall be accomplished as nearly
				as practical in conformance with all applicable codes, ordinances, regulations
				and standards required for new construction. Alteration or installation of new
				equipment shall not diminish the level of compliance with any codes,
				ordinances, regulations or standards below that which existed prior to the
				alteration. Any feature that does not meet the requirement for new buildings
				but exceeds the requirement for existing buildings shall not be further
				diminished. Features that exceed requirements for new construction need not be
				maintained. In no case shall any feature be less than that required for
				existing buildings. (Ill)
(6)
				Existing nursing facilities built in compliance with prior versions of this
				chapter will be deemed in compliance, with the exception of any renovations,
				additions, functional alterations, changes of space utilization, or conversions
				to existing facilities for which construction documents are submitted pursuant
				to rule 481-61.3 (135C) on or after July
				1, 2013, which shall meet the standards specified in this chapter. Conversion
				of a building or any of the parts not currently licensed as a nursing facility
				must meet the rules governing construction of new facilities, except as
				provided in Life Safety Code, 2000 edition, sections 18.1.1.4.4 and
				19.1.1.4.4.
(7) Final plan approval
				and final occupancy shall be given by the state fire marshal's
				office.