R432-4-23. General Construction

(1) Guidelines for Design and Construction of Health Care Facilities 2010 edition, Part 1 and Part 6, are adopted and incorporated by reference except as modified in this section. Other sections of the Guidelines apply to specific facility types as identified elsewhere in this rule or in construction rules specific to individual license categories.

(2) If a modification is cited for the Guidelines, the modification supersedes conflicting requirements of the Guidelines.

(3) Yard equipment and supply storage areas shall be located so that equipment may be moved directly to the exterior without passing through building rooms or corridors.

(4) Waste Processing Systems. Facilities shall provide sanitary storage and treatment areas for the disposal of all categories of waste, including hazardous and infectious wastes using techniques acceptable to the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, and the local health department having jurisdiction.

(5) Windows, in rooms intended for 24-hour occupancy, shall open to the building exterior or to a court which is open to the sky.

(a) Windows shall be equipped with insect screens.

(b) Operation of windows shall be restricted to a maximum opening of six inches to prevent escape or suicide.

(c) Window opening shall be restricted regardless of the method of operation or the use of tools or keys.

(6) Trash chutes, laundry chutes, dumb waiters, elevator shafts, and other similar systems shall not pump contaminated air into clean areas.

(7) All public and patient toilet and bath areas must have grab bars. Grab bar sizes and configurations shall comply with ADA/ABA-AG.

(8) Each patient handwashing fixture shall have a mirror. Patient toilet and bath rooms that are required to be accessible to persons utilizing wheel chairs shall have mirrors installed in accordance with ADA/ABA-AG.

(9) If showers or tubs contain soap dishes or shelves, they shall be recessed.

(10) Cubicle curtains and draperies shall be affixed to permanently mounted tracks or rods. Portable curtains or visual barriers are not permitted.

(11) Floors and bases of kitchens, toilet rooms, bath rooms, janitor's closets and soiled workrooms shall be homogenous and shall be coved. Other areas subject to frequent wet cleaning shall have coved bases that are tight fitting to the floor.

(12) Acoustical treatment for sound control shall be provided in areas where sound control is needed, including corridors in patient areas, nurse stations, dayrooms, recreation rooms, dining areas, and waiting areas.

(13) Carpet.

Carpet in institutional occupancy patient areas, except public lobbies and offices, shall be treated to meet the following microbial resistance ratings as tested in accordance with test methods of the American Association of Textiles, Chemists, and Colorists (AATCC):

(a) Rating: minimum 90% bacterial reduction, test method: AATCC 100.

(b) Rating: maximum 20% fungal growth, test method: AATCC 174-99.

(c) Rating: Exhibits no zone of inhibition, test method: AATCC 174-99.

(d) Closed cell resilient backed carpet may be used in lieu of anti-microbial carpet.

(e) Carpet and padding shall be stretched taut and be free of loose edges to prevent tripping.

(14) Signs shall be provided as follows:

(a) General and circulation direction signs in corridors;

(b) Identification on or by the side of each door; and

(c) Emergency evacuation directional signs.

(15) Elevators.

Elevators intended for patient transport shall accommodate a gurney with attendant and have minimum inside cab dimensions of 5'8" wide by 8'5" deep and a minimum clear door width of 3'8".

(16) All rooms and occupied areas in the facility shall have provisions for ventilation. Natural window ventilation may be used for ventilation of nonsensitive areas and patient rooms when weather conditions permit, but mechanical ventilation shall be provided during periods of temperature extremes.

(a) Bottoms of ventilation openings shall be located at least three inches, above the floor.

(b) Supply and return systems shall be in ducts. Common returns using corridors or attic spaces as plenums are prohibited.

(i) Plenum returns for HVAC systems serving only nonpatient care areas shall be permitted.

(c) Evaporative cooling where the airstream is exposed to a wet coil, a mat, or an open reservoir, are prohibited except for laundry processing areas and kitchen hoods that provide 100% exhaust air.

(17) In facilities other than general hospitals, specialty hospitals, and nursing care facilities, hot water recirculation is not required if the linear distance along the supply pipe from the water heater to the fixture does not exceed 50 feet.

(18) Bed pan washing devices may be deleted from inpatient toilet rooms where a soiled utility room is within the unit which includes bed pan washing capability.

(19) Building sewers shall discharge into a community sewer system. If a system is not available, the facility shall treat its sewage in accordance with local requirements and Utah Department of Environmental Quality requirements.

(20) Dishwashers and other kitchen food storage and cooking appliances shall be National Sanitation Foundation, NSF, approved and shall have the NSF seal affixed.

(21) Electrical materials shall be listed as complying with standards of Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. or other equivalent nationally recognized standards.

(a) Approaches to buildings and all spaces within the buildings occupied by people, machinery, or equipment shall have fixtures for lighting in accordance with requirements shown in Tables 3A and 3B of Recommended Practice 29-06, Lighting for Hospitals and Health Care Facilities, by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America.

(b) Parking lots shall have fixtures for lighting to provide light levels as recommended in IESNA Lighting for Parking Facilities (RP-20-1998).

(c) Receptacles and receptacle cover plates on the electrical emergency system shall be red.

(d) The activating device for nurse call stations shall be of a contrasting color to the adjacent floor and wall surfaces to make it easily visible in an emergency.

(e) Fuel storage capacity of the emergency generator shall permit continuous operation of the facility for 48 hours.

(f) Building electrical services connected to the emergency electrical source must comply with the specific rules for each licensure category.