Jurris.COM
Article 6.6. Secured Perimeters of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 2. >> Chapter 3.2. >> Article 6.6.
(a) The State Fire Marshal has proposed that the State
Building Standards Commission adopt building standards to provide for
locked and secured perimeters in residential care facilities for the
elderly that care for persons with dementia:
(1) It is acknowledged that these building standards will not become effective until October 1, 1996.
(2) It is the policy of the State Building Standards Commission that building standards be adopted exclusively into the California Building Standards Code and not into state statute.
(3) However, in recognition of the immediate need of residential care facilities for the elderly caring for persons with dementia to provide a secured environment, it is the intent of the Legislature that the building standards for locked and secured perimeters proposed by the State Fire Marshal for adoption in the 1994 California Building Standards Code, as set forth in Section 1569.699, be effective upon the date this article becomes operative.
(b) (1) Upon the filing of emergency regulations with the Secretary of State pursuant to subdivision (c), a residential care facility for the elderly that cares for people with dementia may utilize secured perimeter fences or locked exit doors, if it meets the requirements for additional safeguards required by those regulations.
(2) For the purposes of this article, dementia includes Alzheimer' s disease and related disorders, diagnosed by a physician, that increase the tendency to wander and that decrease hazard awareness and the ability to communicate.
(3) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this article that residential care facilities for the elderly have options for the security of persons with dementia who are residents of those facilities that are in addition to existing security exceptions made for individual residents. It is the further intent of the Legislature that these additional options shall include the use of waivers of certain building standards relating to fire safety, to be issued by the state department with the approval of the State Fire Marshal, to permit the care of a target group of persons with dementia by means of secured perimeter fences, or the use of locked exterior doors. Each waiver request shall include a facility plan of operation that addresses elements of care to be identified by the department in regulations and demonstrates the facility's ability to meet the safety needs of persons with dementia.
(4) The department shall adopt regulations that ensure that staff for secured perimeter facilities receive appropriate and adequate training in the care of residents with dementia.
(5) Nothing in this section is intended to prohibit residential care facilities for the elderly from accepting or retaining persons with dementia whose needs can be fully met using care options permitted by existing law and regulations.
(6) It is not the intent of the Legislature to authorize an increase in the level of care provided in a residential care facility for the elderly or to establish a supplemental rate structure based on the services provided in the facility.
(7) All admissions to residential care facilities for the elderly shall continue to be voluntary on the part of the resident or with the lawful consent of the resident's legal conservator.
(c) The department shall adopt regulations to implement subdivision (b) in accordance with those provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act contained in Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. The initial adoption of any emergency regulations following the effective date of the act amending this section during the 1995-96 Regular Legislative Session shall be deemed to be an emergency and necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, or general welfare. Emergency regulations adopted pursuant to this subdivision shall remain in effect for no more than 180 days.
(d) In addition to the security options authorized by subdivision (b), residential care facilities for the elderly that accept or retain as residents persons with dementia, and that choose to utilize the security options of egress-control devices of the time-delay type in addition to secured perimeter fences or locked exit doors, shall comply with Section 1569.699, or regulations adopted by the State Building Standards Commission, whichever is operative.
(e) A residential care facility for the elderly shall not utilize special egress-control devices of the time-delay type, secured perimeter fences, or locked exit doors unless the facility meets the requirements of Section 1569.699 or the Building Standards Commission adopts building standards to implement this section.
(f) Any person who is not a conservatee and is entering a locked or secured perimeter facility pursuant to this section, shall sign a statement of voluntary entry. The facility shall retain the original statement and shall send a copy of the statement to the department.
(1) It is acknowledged that these building standards will not become effective until October 1, 1996.
(2) It is the policy of the State Building Standards Commission that building standards be adopted exclusively into the California Building Standards Code and not into state statute.
(3) However, in recognition of the immediate need of residential care facilities for the elderly caring for persons with dementia to provide a secured environment, it is the intent of the Legislature that the building standards for locked and secured perimeters proposed by the State Fire Marshal for adoption in the 1994 California Building Standards Code, as set forth in Section 1569.699, be effective upon the date this article becomes operative.
(b) (1) Upon the filing of emergency regulations with the Secretary of State pursuant to subdivision (c), a residential care facility for the elderly that cares for people with dementia may utilize secured perimeter fences or locked exit doors, if it meets the requirements for additional safeguards required by those regulations.
(2) For the purposes of this article, dementia includes Alzheimer' s disease and related disorders, diagnosed by a physician, that increase the tendency to wander and that decrease hazard awareness and the ability to communicate.
(3) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this article that residential care facilities for the elderly have options for the security of persons with dementia who are residents of those facilities that are in addition to existing security exceptions made for individual residents. It is the further intent of the Legislature that these additional options shall include the use of waivers of certain building standards relating to fire safety, to be issued by the state department with the approval of the State Fire Marshal, to permit the care of a target group of persons with dementia by means of secured perimeter fences, or the use of locked exterior doors. Each waiver request shall include a facility plan of operation that addresses elements of care to be identified by the department in regulations and demonstrates the facility's ability to meet the safety needs of persons with dementia.
(4) The department shall adopt regulations that ensure that staff for secured perimeter facilities receive appropriate and adequate training in the care of residents with dementia.
(5) Nothing in this section is intended to prohibit residential care facilities for the elderly from accepting or retaining persons with dementia whose needs can be fully met using care options permitted by existing law and regulations.
(6) It is not the intent of the Legislature to authorize an increase in the level of care provided in a residential care facility for the elderly or to establish a supplemental rate structure based on the services provided in the facility.
(7) All admissions to residential care facilities for the elderly shall continue to be voluntary on the part of the resident or with the lawful consent of the resident's legal conservator.
(c) The department shall adopt regulations to implement subdivision (b) in accordance with those provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act contained in Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. The initial adoption of any emergency regulations following the effective date of the act amending this section during the 1995-96 Regular Legislative Session shall be deemed to be an emergency and necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, or general welfare. Emergency regulations adopted pursuant to this subdivision shall remain in effect for no more than 180 days.
(d) In addition to the security options authorized by subdivision (b), residential care facilities for the elderly that accept or retain as residents persons with dementia, and that choose to utilize the security options of egress-control devices of the time-delay type in addition to secured perimeter fences or locked exit doors, shall comply with Section 1569.699, or regulations adopted by the State Building Standards Commission, whichever is operative.
(e) A residential care facility for the elderly shall not utilize special egress-control devices of the time-delay type, secured perimeter fences, or locked exit doors unless the facility meets the requirements of Section 1569.699 or the Building Standards Commission adopts building standards to implement this section.
(f) Any person who is not a conservatee and is entering a locked or secured perimeter facility pursuant to this section, shall sign a statement of voluntary entry. The facility shall retain the original statement and shall send a copy of the statement to the department.
(a) When approved by the person responsible for
enforcement as described in Section 13146, exit doors in facilities
classified as Group R, Division 2 facilities under the California
Building Standards Code, licensed as residential care facilities for
the elderly, and housing clients with Alzheimer's disease or
dementia, may be equipped with approved listed special egress-control
devices of the time-delay type, provided the building is protected
throughout by an approved automatic sprinkler system and an approved
automatic smoke-detection system. The devices shall conform to all of
the following requirements:
(1) Automatic deactivation of the egress-control device upon activation of either the sprinkler system or the detection system.
(2) Automatic deactivation of the egress-control device upon loss of electrical power to any one of the following: The egress-control device; the smoke-detection system; exit illumination as required by Section 1012 of the California Building Code.
(3) Be capable of being deactivated by a signal from a switch located in an approved location.
(4) Initiate an irreversible process that will deactivate the egress-control device whenever a manual force of not more than 15 pounds (66.72 N) is applied for two seconds to the panic bar or other door-latching hardware. The egress-control device shall deactivate within an approved time period not to exceed a total of 15 seconds, except that the person responsible for enforcement as described in Section 13146 may approve a delay not to exceed 30 seconds in residential care facilities for the elderly serving patients with Alzheimer's disease. The time delay established for each egress-control device shall not be field adjustable.
(5) Actuation of the panic bar or other door-latching hardware shall activate an audible signal at the door.
(6) The unlatching shall not require more than one operation.
(7) A sign shall be provided on the door located above and within 12 inches (305mm) of the panic bar or other door-latching hardware reading:
(1) Automatic deactivation of the egress-control device upon activation of either the sprinkler system or the detection system.
(2) Automatic deactivation of the egress-control device upon loss of electrical power to any one of the following: The egress-control device; the smoke-detection system; exit illumination as required by Section 1012 of the California Building Code.
(3) Be capable of being deactivated by a signal from a switch located in an approved location.
(4) Initiate an irreversible process that will deactivate the egress-control device whenever a manual force of not more than 15 pounds (66.72 N) is applied for two seconds to the panic bar or other door-latching hardware. The egress-control device shall deactivate within an approved time period not to exceed a total of 15 seconds, except that the person responsible for enforcement as described in Section 13146 may approve a delay not to exceed 30 seconds in residential care facilities for the elderly serving patients with Alzheimer's disease. The time delay established for each egress-control device shall not be field adjustable.
(5) Actuation of the panic bar or other door-latching hardware shall activate an audible signal at the door.
(6) The unlatching shall not require more than one operation.
(7) A sign shall be provided on the door located above and within 12 inches (305mm) of the panic bar or other door-latching hardware reading:
KEEP PUSHING. THIS DOOR WILL OPEN IN ___ SECONDS. ALARM WILL
SOUND.
Sign letter shall be at least one inch (25mm) in height and shall
have a stroke of not less than 1/8 inch (3.3mm).
(8) Regardless of the means of deactivation, relocking of the egress-control device shall be by manual means only at the door.
(b) Grounds of residential care facilities for the elderly serving persons with Alzheimer's disease or dementia may be fenced, and gates therein equipped with locks, provided safe dispersal areas are located not less than 50 feet (15240mm) from the buildings. Dispersal areas shall be sized to provide an area of not less than three square feet (0.28 2) per occupant. Gates shall not be installed across corridors or passageways leading to the dispersal areas unless they comply with the exit requirements of Section 1021 of the California Building Standards Code.
(c) Exit doors may be locked in residential care facilities for the elderly that meet the requirements for Group I, Division 3 occupancies under the California Building Standards Code and that care for people with dementia.
(d) This section shall become inoperative on the date the State Building Standards Commission adopts regulations regarding secured perimeters in residential care facilities for the elderly, and, as of the January 1 next following that date, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that becomes operative on or before that January 1, deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.
(8) Regardless of the means of deactivation, relocking of the egress-control device shall be by manual means only at the door.
(b) Grounds of residential care facilities for the elderly serving persons with Alzheimer's disease or dementia may be fenced, and gates therein equipped with locks, provided safe dispersal areas are located not less than 50 feet (15240mm) from the buildings. Dispersal areas shall be sized to provide an area of not less than three square feet (0.28 2) per occupant. Gates shall not be installed across corridors or passageways leading to the dispersal areas unless they comply with the exit requirements of Section 1021 of the California Building Standards Code.
(c) Exit doors may be locked in residential care facilities for the elderly that meet the requirements for Group I, Division 3 occupancies under the California Building Standards Code and that care for people with dementia.
(d) This section shall become inoperative on the date the State Building Standards Commission adopts regulations regarding secured perimeters in residential care facilities for the elderly, and, as of the January 1 next following that date, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that becomes operative on or before that January 1, deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.
On and after January 1, 1999, no security window bars
may be installed or maintained on any residential care facility for
the elderly unless the security window bars meet current state and
local requirements, as applicable, for security window bars and
safety release devices.
Residential care facilities for the elderly that serve
residents with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia should
include information on sundowning as part of the training for direct
care staff, and should include in the plan of operation a brief
narrative description explaining activities available for residents
to decrease the effects of sundowning, including, but not limited to,
increasing outdoor activities in appropriate weather conditions.
