(a) Environmental safety.

(1) The physical plant safety requirements are designed to provide safety to the clients, participants, or adult individuals receiving day care.

(2) The facility must conform to all applicable state laws and local ordinances pertaining to occupancy. When these laws, codes, and ordinances are more stringent than the standards in this section, the more stringent requirements govern. If state laws or local codes or ordinances conflict with the requirements of these standards, DADS' Regulatory Services Licensing and Credentialing Section will be so informed so that these conflicts may be legally resolved.

(3) The facility must meet the provisions and requirements concerning accessibility for individuals with disabilities in the following laws and regulations: the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 (Title 42, United States Code, Chapter 126); Title 28, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 35; Texas Government Code, Chapter 469, Elimination of Architectural Barriers; and 16 TAC, Chapter 68, Elimination of Architectural Barriers. Plans for new construction, substantial renovations, modifications, and alterations must be submitted to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (Attn: Elimination of Architectural Barriers Program) for accessibility approval under Texas Government Code, Chapter 469. At least 50% of the client restrooms must be in accordance with ADA. Exception: Facilities licensed for 45 or fewer persons may provide one unisex restroom in accordance with accessibility requirements.

(4) DADS' jurisdiction extends beyond the licensed facility when the licensed area is only a part of a building or floor that is not fire-separated in accordance with the Life Safety Code, NFPA 101, 2000 edition, §16.1.2, New Day-Care Centers, or Life Safety Code, NFPA 101, 2000 edition, §17.1.2, Existing Day-Care Centers with Mixed Occupancies.

(b) Life Safety Code, NFPA 101, 2000 edition.

(1) The principles of the Life Safety Code, NFPA 101, 2000 edition, under Chapter 16 for new day-care centers or Chapter 17 for existing day-care centers, and operating features under §16.7 or §17.7, must be used in establishing life safety requirements for adult day care facilities, with the interpretation and exceptions as listed in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection. Chapter 16 of the Life Safety Code, NFPA 101, 2000 edition, is applicable to new construction, conversions of existing unlicensed buildings, remodeling, and additions conducted after April 1, 2007. Chapter 17 of the Life Safety Code, NFPA 101, 2000 edition, is applicable to existing adult day-care facilities licensed before April 1, 2007. Life safety features and equipment installed in existing buildings that are now in excess of what is required by the Life Safety Code, NFPA 101, 2000 edition, must continue to be maintained or may be completely removed if prior written approval is obtained from DADS.

(2) Interpretations of the Life Safety Code, NFPA 101, 2000 edition, chapters 16 and 17, are as follows: (A) The principles of chapters 16 and 17 apply to any size facility requiring licensing with four or more clients or participants. (B) The principles of §16.1.4.2 and §17.1.4.2 relating to a building or portion thereof used less than 24 hours per day to house more than three adults requiring care, maintenance, and supervision by other than a relative apply to all facilities requiring licensing. A client must be ambulatory or semi-ambulatory and must not be bedridden. A client must not exhibit behavior that is harmful to the client or others. (C) The manual fire alarm system and automatic smoke detection system must be installed in accordance with NFPA 72 National Fire Alarm Code series and state fire marshal licensing requirements. (D) The facility must have a program to inspect, test, and maintain the fire alarm system and must execute the program at least once every six months. (i) The facility must contract with a company that is registered by the State Fire Marshal's Office to execute the program. (ii) The person who performs a service under the contract must be licensed by the State Fire Marshal's Office to perform the service and must complete, sign, and date an inspection form similar to the inspection and testing form in NFPA 72 for a service provided under the contract. (iii) The facility must ensure fire alarm system components that require visual inspection are visually inspected in accordance with NFPA 72. (iv) The facility must ensure fire alarm system components that require testing are tested in accordance with the NFPA 72. (v) The facility must ensure fire alarm system components that require maintenance are maintained in accordance with NFPA 72. (vi) The facility must ensure smoke dampers are inspected and tested in accordance with NFPA 101, 2000 edition. (vii) The facility must maintain onsite documentation of compliance with this subsection and have available for examination by DADS, operation and maintenance manuals, and a written sequence of operation. (E) If the facility has a complete NFPA 13 system, the facility must have a program to inspect, test, and maintain the sprinkler system and must execute the program at least once every six months. (i) The facility must contract with a company that is registered by the State Fire Marshal's Office to execute the program. (ii) The person who performs a service under the contract must be licensed by the State Fire Marshal's Office to perform the service and must complete, sign, and date an inspection form similar to the inspection and testing form in NFPA 25 for a service provided under the contract. (iii) The facility must ensure sprinkler system components that require visual inspection are visually inspected in accordance with NFPA 13 and 25. (iv) The facility must ensure sprinkler system components that required testing are tested in accordance with the NFPA 13 and 25. (v) The facility must ensure sprinkler system components that require maintenance are maintained in accordance with NFPA 13 and 25. (vi) The facility must ensure that individual sprinkler heads are inspected and maintained in accordance with NFPA 13 and 25. (vii) The facility must maintain onsite documentation of compliance with this subsection and have available for examination by DADS as built drawings, operation and maintenance manuals, and a written sequence of operation. (F) All facilities must follow the Life Safety Code, NFPA 101, 2000 edition, chapters 16 or 17, including the following: (i) If a center is located in a building containing mixed occupancies, the occupancies must be separated by one-hour fire barriers. (ii) Each floor occupied by clients must have access to two remote exits in accordance with Chapter 7, Means of Egress. (I) Doors in the means of egress must be equipped with hardware that opens with a single motion. (II) Doors must swing in the direction of egress for occupant loads greater than 50 occupants. (iii) Every room or space normally subject to client occupancy, other than bathrooms or any room with attended individual clients, must have at least one outside window for emergency rescue or ventilation. Such window must be able to be opened from the inside without the use of tools and provide a clear opening of not less than 20 inches in width, 24 inches in height, and 5.7 sq. ft. (821 sq. in.) in area (minimum width of 20 inches by 41.2 inches high and minimum height of 24 inches by 34.2 inches wide). The bottom of the opening must be not more than 44 inches (112 cm.) above the floor. In rooms located greater than three stories above grade, the openable clear height, width, and area of the window may be modified to the dimensions necessary for ventilation. Exceptions are: (I) buildings protected throughout by an approved, supervised automatic sprinkler system in accordance with §9.7; (II) rooms or spaces with a door leading directly to the outside of the building; or (III) in existing facilities, rooms smaller than 250 square feet. (iv) Interior finish in stairways, corridors, and lobbies must be Class A. All other walls and ceilings must be Class A or Class B interior finish in accordance with Life Safety Code, NFPA 101, 2000 edition, §10.2.3. Flame spread is the rate of fire travel along the surface of a material. (This is different from other requirements for time-rated "burn through" resistance ratings such as one-hour rated.) Flame spread ratings are Class A (0-25), Class B (26-75), and Class C (76-200). (v) Floor finish materials within corridors and exits must be Class I or Class II in accordance with §10.2.7 in new construction or new installations of flooring. Replacement or newly installed floor finish materials must be Class I or II. Existing floor finish materials in good condition may remain in use in accordance with §10.2. (vi) A smoke detection system must be installed in accordance with §9.6 with placement of detectors in each story in front of the doors to the stairways and in the corridors of all floors occupied by the day-care occupancy. Detectors also must be installed in lounges, recreation areas, dining areas, and sleeping rooms in the center (vii) Fire department notification must be accomplished in accordance with §9.6.4, except in day-care centers with not more than 100 clients.

(3) Exceptions to the Life Safety Code, NFPA 101, 2000 edition, chapters 16 or 17, are as follows. (A) All required smoke detectors must be powered by the facility electrical system and be interconnected with the fire alarm system. (B) Reference to apartment buildings in §16.1.2 or §17.1.2 must be deleted. Any floor above or below the floor of exit discharge that is used by semi-ambulatory clients, or those whose disability prevents them from taking appropriate action for self-preservation in emergencies, must be provided with smoke compartmentation. (C) Emergency lighting is not required for means of egress if the facility operation is during daylight hours and if natural light, direct or borrowed, is provided so that the means of egress is usable in emergencies. (D) Special protective electrical receptacle covers are not required. (E) NFPA 96, Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations, is not applicable if the facility has residential-type cooking equipment. (F) Public corridors must not be used for return or supply air systems. (G) Residential-type heating units or heating units designed for attic installations must not be considered to be units requiring furnace room construction as specified under §16.3.2.1 or §17.3.2.1. (H) New additions or remodeling must be as required for new construction in accordance with paragraph (4) of this subsection. (I) Sprinkler system for a janitor's closet as specified under §16.3.2.1 or §17.3.2.1 is not required unless the building has a complete NFPA 13 system.

(4) For new construction, DADS requires conformance to the following codes, except that DADS may accept other nationally recognized codes that are locally enforced. (A) If the municipality has a building code and a plumbing code, then those codes govern in those areas of construction. Where local codes or ordinances are applicable, the most restrictive parts concerning the same subject item apply unless otherwise determined by the authority having jurisdiction for local codes and the licensing agency. (B) In the absence of local municipal codes or ordinances, nationally recognized codes must be used, such as the International Building Code and the compatible International Codes published by the International Code Council. These nationally recognized codes, when used, must all be publications of the same group or organization to assure the intended continuity. (C) Heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems must be designed and installed in accordance with NFPA 90A and NFPA 90B, as applicable, and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), except as may be modified in this subchapter. Buildings required to meet NFPA 90A must have automatic shutdown upon initiation of the fire alarm system, in accordance with NFPA 90A, §4.4. (D) Electrical and illumination systems must be designed and installed in accordance with NFPA 70 and the Lighting Handbook of the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) of North America, except as may be modified in this subchapter. (i) Minimum illumination must be 20 foot candles in the toilets, bathing, and general use areas, such as living areas, dining areas, corridors, and lobbies. (ii) Minimum illumination must be 50 foot candles in the kitchen, medication or food preparation areas, and activity areas for handicrafts or reading.

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