| (a) The provisions of NFPA 101, Chapter 7, Means of
Egress, do not apply to an existing small Type A assisted living facility
unless explicitly referenced by this section or by NFPA 101, Chapter
33, Existing Residential Board and Care Occupancies.
(b) An existing small Type A assisted living facility
must meet the requirements of 33.2.2, Means of Escape, in NFPA 101,
Chapter 33, Existing Residential Board and Care Occupancies, except
as described in this section.
(c) An existing small Type A assisted living facility
must ensure doors meet the requirements of 33.2.2.5, Doors, in NFPA
101, Chapter 33, Existing Residential Board and Care Occupancies,
and the additional requirements of this section.
(1) A resident room door in an existing small Type
A assisted living facility not protected throughout by an approved
automatic fire sprinkler system complying with the requirements of §553.115
of this division (relating to Fire Protection Systems Requirements
for an Existing Small Type A Assisted Living Facility) must meet one
of the following options. A resident room door is not otherwise required
to meet the requirements for doors in 33.2.3.6, Construction of Corridor
Walls, in NFPA 101, Chapter 33, Existing Residential Board and Care
Occupancies.
(A) The door must be a solid core wood door at least
1-3/4 inches thick or have a 20-minute opening protection rating and
must latch in its frame to resist the passage of smoke; or
(B) The door must be self-closing or automatic-closing
and must latch in its frame to resist the passage of smoke.
(2) A resident room door in an existing small Type
A assisted living facility protected throughout by an approved automatic
fire sprinkler system complying with the requirements of §553.115
of this division must latch in its frame to resist the passage of
smoke.
(3) In an existing small Type A assisted living facility
comprised of buildings that contain living units with independent
cooking equipment within the living unit, a door between the living
unit and a corridor or hallway must:
(A) be self-closing or automatic-closing; and
(B) latch in its frame to resist the passage of smoke.
(4) A resident room door or living unit door must not
be arranged to prevent the occupant from closing the door.
(d) An existing small Type A assisted living facility
providing a bedroom window used as a secondary means of escape must
ensure the window meets the requirements for a bedroom window used
as a secondary means of escape in §553.112 of this division (relating
to Space Planning and Utilization Requirements for an Existing Small
Type A Assisted Living Facility).
(e) An existing small Type A assisted living facility
providing spaces for use by residents on floors other than the ground
floor must provide at least two separate approved stairs.
(1) An existing stair may be continued in service,
subject to approval by HHSC.
(2) A stair used as means of escape must meet the requirements
of 33.2.2.6, Stairs, in NFPA 101, Chapter 33, Existing Residential
Board and Care Occupancies.
(3) Each stair must be arranged and located so that
it is not necessary to go through another room, including a bedroom
or bathroom, to reach the stair.
(4) Each stair must be provided with handrails.
(5) Each stair must be provided with normal lighting
according to the requirements of §553.118 of this division (relating
to Electrical Requirements for an Existing Small Type A Assisted Living
Facility).
(6) A stair in an existing building that became an
assisted living through conversion must meet the dimensional criteria
for existing stairs in 7.2.2.2, Dimensional Criteria, in NFPA 101,
Chapter 7, Means of Egress.
(7) An existing stair, previously approved by HHSC,
may be rebuilt to the same dimensions but must meet all other requirements
for stairs in NFPA 101.
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