| (F) Air supply to food preparation areas must not be
from air that has circulated through places such as resident bedrooms
and baths.
(G) Ventilation rates for all areas of a facility must
be as required by NFPA 99. These rates are the minimum acceptable
rates, but do not preclude the use of higher ventilation rates.
(H) The bottoms of ventilation openings must be at
least three inches above the floor of any room.
(I) A door protecting a corridor or way of egress must
not include an air transfer grille or louver. A corridor must not
be used to supply air to or exhaust air from any room except that
air from a corridor may be used as make-up air to ventilate a small
toilet room, a janitor's closet, or a small electrical or telephone
closet opening directly on a corridor, provided the ventilation can
be accomplished by door undercuts not exceeding 3/4 inches.
(4) Exhaust.
(A) A facility must provide forced air exhaust of all
room air directly to the outdoors according to NFPA 99.
(i) Areas such as laundries, kitchens, and dishwashing
areas must exhaust all room air to the outdoors to remove excess
heat and moisture and to maintain air flow in the direction of clean
to soiled areas.
(ii) Unsanitary areas, including janitor’s closets,
soiled linen areas, soiled workroom and utility areas, and soiled
areas of laundry rooms, must exhaust all room air outdoors.
(B) All exhaust must be continuously ducted to the
exterior. Exhausting air into attics or other spaces is not permitted.
Exhaust duct material must be metal.
(C) Exhaust hoods, ducts, and automatic extinguishers
for kitchen cooking equipment must be according to NFPA 96, when required
by NFPA 101.
(5) Integration with Building Construction.
(A) Smoke compartmentation must meet the requirements
of §19.356 of this division (relating to Smoke Compartments (Subdivision
of Building Spaces) for New Facilities).
(B) An air system must be designed as much as possible
to avoid having ducts passing through fire walls or smoke barrier
walls. All openings or duct penetrations in these walls must be according
to NFPA 101.
(C) A smoke damper at a smoke barrier must close automatically
upon activation of the fire alarm system to prevent the flow of air
or smoke in either direction, when required by NFPA 101.
(D) A duct with a smoke damper must have maintenance
panels for inspection. A maintenance panel must be removable without
tools. A facility must provide access in the ceiling or side wall
to facilitate smoke damper inspection. A facility must identify the
location of dampers on the wall or ceiling of the occupied area below.
(E) A central air supply system or a system serving
a means of egress must automatically and immediately shut down upon
activation of the fire alarm system, except when such a system is
part of an engineered smoke-removal system approved by HHSC.
(6) All ventilation or air-conditioning systems must
be equipped with filters as required by NFPA 99. Filters must be of
sufficient efficiency to minimize dust and lint accumulations throughout
the system and building, including in supply and return plenums and
ductwork. Filters must be easily accessible for routine changing or
cleaning.
(d) Sprinkler systems. The following requirements are
applicable to sprinkler systems:
(1) Sprinkler systems must be according to NFPA 13
and this subchapter.
(2) The design and installation of sprinkler systems
must meet any applicable state laws pertaining to these systems and
one of the following criteria:
(A) A sprinkler system must be designed by a qualified
licensed professional engineer approved by the Texas Board of Professional
Engineers to operate in Texas. The engineer must supervise the installation
and provide written approval of the completed installation.
(B) A sprinkler system must be planned and installed
according to NFPA 13 by a firm with a certificate of registration
issued by the State Fire Marshal’s Office. The RME's license
number and signature must be included on the prepared sprinkler drawings.
(3) A facility must ensure all sprinkler piping is
protected against freezing. The design of freeze protection must minimize
the need for dependence on staff action or intervention to provide
protection.
(e) Piped gas and vacuum systems. A piped medical gas
or medical vacuum system, including a piped oxygen system, a vacuum
system, or a drive gas system such as a compressed air system, must
be designed, installed, operated and managed according to the requirements
of NFPA 99 for new health care facilities, and based on the risk category
determined by the assessment required by §19.300(i) of this
subchapter (relating to General Requirements).
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| Source Note: The provisions of this §554.360 adopted to be effective March 22, 2018, 43 TexReg 1646; transferred effective January 15, 2021, as published in the Texas Register December 11, 2020, 45 TexReg 8871 |
