Header:
TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE
TITLE 40. SOCIAL SERVICES AND ASSISTANCE
PART 1. DEPARTMENT OF AGING AND DISABILITY SERVICES
CHAPTER 19. NURSING FACILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSURE AND MEDICAID CERTIFICATION
SUBCHAPTER D. FACILITY CONSTRUCTION
Date:
08/31/2009
Document:
40 TAC § 19.341 (2011)
§ 19.341. Electrical Requirements
(a) The design of the electrical systems must be done by or under the direction of a registered professional electrical engineer approved by the Texas State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers to operate in Texas, and the parts of the plans and specifications covering electrical design must bear the legible seal of the engineer. Requirements pertaining to utilities, heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems, vertical conveyors, and chutes must be in accordance with the Life Safety Code, Chapter 9, Building Service and Fire Protection Equipment.
(b) Requirements for fire protection systems must be in accordance with § 19.337 of this title (relating to Fire Protection Systems).
(c) Electrical systems must meet the requirements of the NFPA 70.
(d) Specific requirements for lighting and outlets at resident bedrooms must be in accordance with § 19.334 of this title (relating to Architectural Space Planning and Utilization).
(1) Emergency electrical service.
(A) To provide electricity during an interruption of the normal electric supply, an emergency source of electricity must be provided and connected to certain circuits for lighting and power.
(B) Emergency electrical connection service must be provided to the distribution systems as required by the Life Safety Code and NFPA 99.
(i) Emergency systems must include the following:
(I) illumination for means of egress, nurse stations, medication rooms, dining and living rooms, group bathing rooms (those not directly connected to resident bedrooms), and areas immediately outside of exit door (egress lighting must not be switched);
(II) exit signs and exit directional signs as required by the Life Safety Code;
(III) alarm systems including fire alarms activated by manual stations, water flow alarm devices of sprinkler systems, fire and smoke detecting systems, and alarms required for nonflammable medical gas systems if installed (where hospital-type functions are included in the nursing home facility, applicable standards will apply);
(IV) task illumination and selected receptacles at the generator set location;
(V) selected duplex receptacles including such areas as resident corridors, each bed location where patient care-related electrical appliances are utilized, nurse stations, and medication rooms including biologicals refrigerator;
(VI) nurse calling systems;
(VII) resident room night lights;
(VIII) a light and receptacle in the electrical and/or boiler room;
(IX) elevator cab lighting, control, and communication systems;
(X) all facility telephone equipment; and
(XI) paging or speaker systems if intended for communication during emergency. Radio transceivers where installed for emergency use must be capable of operating for at least one hour upon total failure of both normal and emergency power.
(ii) Critical systems (delayed automatic or manual connections to critical systems) must include the following:
(I) Heating equipment must provide heating for general resident rooms. This will not be required if:
(-a-) the outside design temperature is higher than 20 degrees Fahrenheit (-6 degrees Celsius);
(-b-) the outside design temperature is lower than 20 degrees Fahrenheit (-6 degrees Celsius) and where selected rooms are provided for the needs of all confined residents, then only those rooms need to be heated; or
(-c-) the facility is served by a dual source of normal power; and
(II) In instances when interruptions of power would result in elevators stopping between floors, throw-over facilities must be provided to allow the temporary operation of any elevator for the release of passengers.
(C) The emergency lighting must be automatically in operation within ten seconds after the interruption of normal electric power supply. Emergency service to receptacles and equipment may be delayed automatic or manually connected. Receptacles connected to emergency power must have red face plates. Stored fuel capacity must be sufficient for not less than four-hour operation of required generator.
(D) The design and installation of emergency motor generators must be in accordance with NFPA 37, NFPA 99, and NFPA 110.
(i) Generators must be a minimum of three feet from the combustible exterior building finish and a minimum of five feet from a building opening if located on the exterior of the building.
(ii) Generators located on the exterior of the building must be provided with a noncombustible protective cover or be protected as per manufacturer's recommendations.
(iii) Motor generators fueled by public utility natural gas must have the capability to be switched to an alternate fuel source in accordance with NFPA 70.
(E) The normal wiring circuit(s) for the emergency system must be kept entirely independent of all other wiring and must not enter the same race-ways, boxes, or cabinets in accordance with NFPA 70.
(2) General Lighting Requirements. General lighting requirements are as follows:
(A) All spaces occupied by people, machinery, equipment, approaches to buildings, and parking lots must have lighting.
(B) All quality, intensity, and type of lighting must be adequate and appropriate to the space and all functions within the space.
(C) Minimum lighting levels can be found in the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) Lighting Handbook, latest edition. Minimum illumination must be 20-foot candles in resident rooms, corridors, nurses' stations, dining rooms, lobbies, toilets, bathing facilities, laundries, stairways, and elevators. Illumination requirements for these areas apply to lighting throughout the space and should be measured at approximately 30 inches above the floor anywhere in the room. Minimum illumination for overbed reading lamps, medication-preparation or storage area, kitchens, and nurse's station desks must be 50 foot candles. Illumination requirements for these areas apply to the task performed and should be measured on the task.
(D) Nursing unit corridors must have general illumination with provisions for reduction of light levels at night.
(E) Exposed incandescent light bulbs (or other high heat generating lamps) in closets or other similar spaces must be provided with basket wire guards or other suitable shield to prevent contact of combustible materials with the hot bulb and to help prevent breakage.
(F) Exposed incandescent or fluorescent bulbs will not be permitted in food service or other areas where glass fragments from breakage may get into food, medications, linens, or utensils. All fluorescent bulbs will be protected with a shield or catcher to prevent bulb drop-out.
(3) Receptacles (convenience outlets).
(A) Receptacles at bedrooms must be in accordance with § 19.334(a)(7) of this title (relating to Architectural Space Planning and Utilization).
(B) Duplex receptacles for general use must be installed in corridors spaced not more than 50 feet apart and within 25 feet of ends of corridors.
(C) Receptacles must be provided for essential needs such as medication refrigerators and life support systems or equipment. At least one outlet in each resident corridor must be provided with emergency electrical service. All receptacles on emergency circuits must be clearly, distinctly, and permanently identified, such as using a red face plate and/or a small label that says "Emergency."
(D) Receptacles in the remainder of the building must be sufficient to serve the present and future needs of the residents and equipment.
(E) Location of receptacles (horizontally and vertically) should be carefully planned and coordinated with the expected designed use of furnishings and equipment to maximize their accessibility and to minimize conditions such as beds or chests being jammed against plugs used in the outlets.
(F) Exterior receptacles must be approved waterproof type.
(G) Ground fault interruption protection must be provided at appropriate locations such as at whirlpools and other wet areas in accordance with the National Electrical Code.
(4) Nurse call systems.
(A) A nurse call system consists of power units, annunciator control units, corridor dome stations, emergency call stations, bedside call stations, and activating devices. The units must be compatible and laboratory listed for the system and use intended.
(B) Each resident bedroom must be served by at least one calling station and each bed must be provided with a call switch. Two call switches serving adjacent beds may be served by one calling station. Each call entered into the system must activate a corridor dome light above the bedroom, bathroom, or toilet corridor door, a visual signal at the nurses station which indicates the room from which the call was placed, and a continuous or intermittent continuous audible signal of sufficient amplitude to be clearly heard by nursing staff. The amplitude or pitch of the audible signal must not be such that it is irritating to residents or visitors. The system must be designed so that calls entered into the system may be canceled only at the calling station. Intercom-type systems which meet this requirement are acceptable.
(C) Nurse calling systems which provide two-way voice communication must be equipped with an indicating light at each calling station which lights and remains lighted as long as the voice circuit is operating.
(D) A nurse call emergency switch(es) must be provided for resident use at each resident's toilet, bath, and shower. These switches must be usable by residents using the fixtures and by a collapsed resident lying on the floor.
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