| (a) The design of the electrical systems must be done
by or under the direction of a licensed professional electrical engineer
approved by the Texas Board of 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. Utilities; heating,
ventilating, and air-conditioning systems; vertical conveyors, and
chutes must meet the requirements of NFPA 101, Chapter 9, Building
Service and Fire Protection Equipment.
(b) Fire protection systems must meet the requirements
of §19.337 of this division (relating to Fire Protection Systems).
(c) Electrical systems must meet the requirements of
NFPA 70.
(d) Specific requirements for lighting and outlets
at resident bedrooms must meet the requirements of §19.334 of
this division (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.
Facilities that were constructed or received design approval or building
permits before July 5, 2016, may comply with the emergency electrical
system requirements for existing health care facilities in NFPA 99.
All other facilities covered by this section must comply with the
emergency electrical system requirements for new health care facilities
in NFPA 99.
(B) Emergency electrical connection service must be
provided to the distribution systems as required by NPFA 101 and NFPA
99. Rehabilitation or modernization of an existing emergency power
system must be based on the assessed risk category and according to
the requirements of NFPA 99 for new health care facilities.
(i) The following systems must be arranged for automatic
connection to the alternate power source, without delay:
(I) illumination for means of egress, nurse stations',
medication rooms, dining and living rooms, group bathing rooms not
directly connected to resident bedrooms, and areas immediately outside
of exit doors;
(II) exit signs and exit directional signs as required
by NFPA 101;
(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;
(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 call systems;
(VII) resident room night lights;
(VIII) a light and receptacle in an electrical room
or a 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) The following systems must be arranged for delayed
automatic or manual connection to the alternate power source:
(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 (-6.7 degrees Celsius);
(-b-) the outside design temperature is lower than
20 degrees Fahrenheit (-6.7 degrees Celsius) and, when 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.
(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 egress lighting must not be switched.
(D) Emergency service to receptacles and equipment
may be delayed automatic or manually connected. Receptacles connected
to emergency power must have red faceplates.
(E) The design and installation of emergency motor
generators must be in accordance with NFPA 37, NFPA 99, and NFPA 110.
(i) Generators must be located a minimum of three feet
from a 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.
(iv) Stored fuel capacity must be sufficient for not
less than four hours of required generator operation.
(F) The normal wiring circuits for the emergency system
must be kept entirely independent of all other wiring and must not
enter the same race-ways, boxes, or cabinets according to 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 are measured
at approximately 30 inches above the floor anywhere in the room. Minimum
illumination for over-bed reading lamps, medication-preparation or
storage areas, kitchens, and nurses' station desks must be 50 foot
candles. Illumination requirements for these areas apply to the task
performed and are 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 are not
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 or convenience outlets.
(A) Receptacles at bedrooms must be according to §19.334(a)(7)
of this division (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. At least one duplex receptacle in each resident
corridor must be provided with emergency electrical service.
(C) Receptacles must be provided for essential needs
such as medication refrigerators and systems or equipment whose failure
is likely to cause major injury or death to a resident. All receptacles
on emergency circuits must be clearly, distinctly, and permanently
identified, such as using a red faceplate 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 furniture being jammed against
plugs used in the outlets.
(F) Exterior receptacles must be an approved waterproof
type.
(G) Ground fault interruption protection must be provided
at appropriate locations such as at whirlpools and other wet areas
according to the NFPA 70.
(4) Nurse call systems.
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