What’s happening: In 2014, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) adopted a final rule to update fire safety standards for hospitals, critical access hospitals, long-term care facilities, ambulatory surgery centers, and other health care facilities.
What else to know: The final rule is available in the Federal Register.
CMS adopted the 2012 edition of the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Life Safety Code (NFPA 101) with certain modifications and the majority of the 2012 edition of the Health Care Facilities Code (NFPA 99). The rule includes changes to construction, protection, and operation affecting safety from fire, smoke, and other issues. These changes include:
- Health care facilities are required to install automatic sprinkler systems in buildings taller than 75 feet by July 5, 2028.
- Health care facilities must also have a plan for fire watch or building evacuation if the sprinkler system is out of service for more than 10 hours.
- Roller latches will be prohibited in existing and new health care buildings for corridor doors and doors to rooms containing flammable or combustible materials.
With questions, contact Trina Gonzalez, vice president, policy, at tgonzalez@calhospital.org.
