Title: Section 83-1.19 - General structural equipment and safety standards

83-1.19 General structural equipment and safety standards.

(a) Compliance with local laws and regulations. Shared health facilities shall conform with all local laws, regulations and codes relating to fire and safety, sanitation, plumbing and other health requirements, where such laws, regulations and codes impose standards in addition to those required by this Part.

(b) Shared health facilities shall comply with pertinent provisions of the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) Standard No. A117.1, American Standard Specifications for making buildings and facilities accessible to, and usable by, the physically handicapped (1961). Copies of this publication are available from the publisher, American National Standards Institute, Inc., 1430 Broadway, New York, NY, and a copy is available for inspection and copying at the offices of the records access officer of the Department of Health, Corning Tower, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY.

(c) Office space and public areas. There shall be:

(1) a lobby which shall include:

(i) an information counter or desk;

(ii) adequate waiting space; however, no corridor, subcorridor or passageway shall be used as waiting space; and

(iii) public toilet facilities;

(2) suitable storage facilities for sterile supplies, clinical laboratory specimens, pharmaceutical supplies, housekeeping supplies, and equipment.

(d) Clinical facilities shall include:

(1) general purpose examination room(s) for medical, dental, obstetrical and similar examinations shall have a minimum floor area of 64 square feet excluding such spaces as vestibule, toilet and closet. A lavatory or sink equipped for handwashing and a counter for shelf space for writing shall be provided. Room sizes for specialized examinations or procedures, such as eye, dental, and ear, nose and throat, shall provide sufficient space for treatment of patients and accommodation of equipment.

(2) a drug distribution center, if required by facility needs, which shall include double-locked storage for controlled substances; and

(3) sterilizing facilities for the sterilization of equipment and supplies if supplies, or equipment requiring sterilization are used.

(e) Diagnostic facilities shall meet the following requirements:

(1) Radiographic installations, when provided, shall conform to the applicable requirements of Part 16 of the State Sanitary Code, and shall include:

(i) dressing areas with convenient access to a public toilet;

(ii) radiographic room(s);

(iii) film processing facilities;

(iv) viewing and administrative areas; and

(v) film storage facilities.

(2) Laboratory facilities shall contain at least a specimen collection room, which may be a public toilet that contains a water closet and lavatory.

(f) Janitor's closet or area. Each facility shall have at least one janitor's closet or separate area for the storage of housekeeping equipment and supplies, and a floor receptor or service sink.

(g) Details and finishes.

(1) Toilet rooms which may be used by patients shall be equipped with hardware which will permit access from the outside in any emergency.

(2) Soap and towel dispensers and waste receptacles shall be provided at all hand-washing fixtures. Handwashing sinks in examination rooms shall be provided with other than hand controls and with hot and cold water.

(3) Cubicle curtains and draperies shall be noncombustible and shall pass both the large and small scale tests of the National Fire Protection Association, Standard 701, Standard Methods of Fire Tests for Flame-Resistant Textiles and Films, 1969 edition. This standard was published by the National Fire Protection Association, Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA, and a copy is available for inspection and copying at the offices of the records access officer of the Department of Health, Coming Tower, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY.

(4) Floor materials shall be easily cleanable and have wear resistance appropriate for the location involved.

(5) Wall finishes shall be washable and, in the immediate area of plumbing fixtures, shall be smooth and moisture resistant.

(h) Construction, including fire safety requirements. Shared health facilities shall comply with the National Fire Protection Association No. 1O1, Chapter 13, Life Safety Code for Business Occupancies, 1973 Edition. The Life Safety Code is published by the National Fire Protection Association, Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA, and a copy of the 1973 edition is available for inspection and copying at the offices of the records access officer of the Department of Health, Corning Tower, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY.

(i) mechanical requirements.

(1) The facility shall maintain a minimum temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit during operating hours.

(2) Toilet rooms shall be provided with mechanical exhaust of air or screened windows which open to the outside. (3) Vacuum breakers shall be provided on all plumbing fixtures to which hoses or tubing can be attached.

(j) Electrical requirements.

(1) Adequate electrical outlets shall be provided in all areas of the facility to accommodate necessary equipment without the use of receptacle adapters which allow multiple appliances to be plugged into a single outlet or which adapt three-pronged, grounded plugs to two-wire, ungrounded circuits.

(2) Sufficient lighting to permit normal operation and to avoid any hazards to personal safety shall be provided.

(k) The commissioner may, upon application, waive the specific requirements of section 83-1.19 of this Part for any shared heath facility, upon a satisfactory showing by the applicant and a determination that:

(1) there are specified practical difficulties in conforming with the pertinent provisions of section 83-1.19 of this Part;

(2) the waiver of such requirement does not adversely affect the health and safety of the patients, visitors or staff;

(3) the construction of the facility when reviewed in its entirety provides adequate protection to the health and safety of the patients, visitors and staff.