(a) Requirements.
(1) Only approved mechanical restraint devices shall
be used by a facility.
(2) Mechanical restraint devices shall only be used
in a manner consistent with their intended use.
(3) All mechanical restraint devices shall be inspected
at least once each year, no later than the last day of the calendar
month of the previous year's inspection. All faulty or malfunctioning
devices shall be restricted from use until they are repaired or replaced.
(b) Prohibitions.
(1) Approved mechanical restraint devices shall not
be altered from the manufacturer's design.
(2) A resident shall not be placed in a prone position
while restrained in any mechanical restraint for a period of time
longer than necessary to apply the restraint device.
(3) A mechanical restraint shall not secure a resident
in a prone, supine, or lateral position with the resident's arms and
hands behind the resident's back and secured to the resident's legs.
(4) Approved mechanical restraint devices shall not
be secured so tightly as to interfere with circulation or so loosely
as to cause chafing of the skin.
(5) Approved mechanical restraint devices shall not
be secured to a stationary object.
(6) A resident in an approved mechanical restraint
device shall not participate in any physical activity.
(7) Plastic cuffs shall only be used in emergency situations.
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