- THCA

Volume XXXI, Number 5
May 2016

Life Safety Code Final Rules

The final CMS rule adopting the 2012 Edition of the Life Safety Code or LSC (NFPA 101) and the 2012 Edition of the Health Care Facilities Code (NFPA 99), with some exceptions, appeared in the May 4, 2016 Federal Register. This rule impacts all SNFs, NFs, and ICFs/IID and the rule is effective July 5, 2016.

The final rule is quite similar to the proposed rule and AHCA is working on a thorough summary of changes no later than mid-May. A few positive changes for providers:

All Tentative Interim Amendments (TIAs) to the Life Safety Code and the Health Care Facilities Code that were adopted by NFPA prior to April 16, 2014 are also adopted. This means NFPA adopted specific changes to code language through a TIA after publication of the Codes, and CMS will recognize these as applicable NFPA Code.

Where the needs of patients require specialized protective measures for their safety, door-locking arrangements are permitted. This is applicable, for example, to living areas for individuals with dementia.

For SNFs and NFs (and ICFs/IID that choose to be surveyed under long term care chapter of the LSC), when a sprinkler system is out of service for more than 10 hours in a 24-hour period, the evacuation of a building or the instituting of an approved fire watch is required until the system has been returned to service. NOTE: this is changed from the proposed rule that required a fire watch or evacuation if the sprinkler system was out of service for more than 4 hours.

For SNFs and NFs (and ICFs/IID that choose to be surveyed under long term care chapter of the LSC) built after the effective date of the final rule must have a window sill height of 36” in resident rooms. NOTE: this is changed from the proposed rule which required this window sill height of 36” for existing as well as new buildings.

The adopted rule can be found HERE. More detailed information will be forthcoming.

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If you have any questions about the THCA Commitment to Care Initiative or would like to share your facilities successes please contact Gloria Bean-Williams by email or call (512) 458-1257.