New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 8 - HEALTH › Chapter 43A - MANUAL OF STANDARDS FOR LICENSING OF AMBULATORY CARE FACILITIES › Subchapter 17 - HOUSEKEEPING, SANITATION AND SAFETY › Section 8:43A-17.4 - Environmental patient care services

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) The following
				environmental conditions shall be met:
1.
				Thermometers which are accurate to within three degrees Fahrenheit shall be kept in
				a visible location in refrigerators, freezers, and storerooms used for perishable
				and other items subject to deterioration. Records shall be kept for 12
				months;
2. Articles in storage shall be
				elevated from the floor and away from walls, ceilings, and air vents to facilitate
				cleaning. Storage units shall be non-porous and cleanable;
3. There shall be separate refrigerators for
				medications, laboratory specimens, and food. There shall be a separate designated
				area for all food items and beverages. Records shall be kept for 12
				months;
4. Draperies, upholstery, and
				other fabrics or decorations shall be fire-resistant and flameproof;
5. Latex foam pillows shall be
				prohibited;
6. Equipment requiring
				drainage shall be drained to a sanitary connection, in accordance with State and
				local codes;
7. During warm weather
				conditions, the temperature of the facility shall not exceed 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
				The facility shall establish a written heat emergency action plan which specifies
				procedures to be followed in the event that the indoor air temperature is 82 degrees
				Fahrenheit or higher for a continuous period of four hours or longer. The facility
				shall provide adequate ventilation in all areas used by patients;
8. The temperature in the facility shall be kept
				at a minimum of 72 degrees Fahrenheit (22 degrees Celsius) when patients are in the
				facility;
9. Throw rugs or scatter rugs
				shall not be used in the facility;
10.
				All equipment shall have unobstructed space provided for operation;
11. Combustible materials shall not be stored in
				heater rooms or within 18 feet of any heater located in an open basement;
12. Paints, varnishes, lacquers, thinners, and all
				other flammable materials shall be stored outside the building. Minimum supplies may
				be kept in the building in a locked storage room or in closed, locked metal cabinets
				or containers in a non-patient area of the facility;
13. All furnishings shall be clean and in good
				repair, and mechanical equipment shall be in good working order. Equipment shall be
				kept covered to protect from contamination and accessible for cleaning and
				inspection. Broken or worn items shall be repaired, replaced, or removed
				promptly;
14. Mattresses, mattress pads
				and coverings, pillows, bedsprings, and other furnishings shall be properly
				maintained and kept clean. They shall be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected upon
				discharge of each patient;
15. All
				equipment and environmental surfaces shall be kept clean to sight and touch;
				and
16. When areas of the facility are
				undergoing renovation or new construction, protective measures shall be taken to
				contain dust and redirect traffic in patient care areas.