Michigan Administrative Code › Department - Health and Human Services › Childrens Services Agency › Licensing Rules for Child Caring Institutions › Part 6 - FIRE SAFETY FOR RESIDENTIAL GROUP HOME FACILITIES › Section R. 400.4602 - Definitions

Current through Vol. 24-12, July 15, 2024
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 &frac12 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 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.