On Wednesday, CMS published its final rule updating healthcare facilities' guidelines to protect patients from fires. Updates include adopting new provisions of the National Fire Protection Association's 2012 edition of the Life Safety Code and from the NFPA's 2012 edition of the Health Care Facilities Code.
"This final rule meets healthcare facilities' desire to modernize their environments while also ensuring the necessary steps to provide patients and staff with the appropriate level of safety," said Kate Goodrich, MD, director of CMS' Center for Clinical Standards and Quality. "Healthcare facilities can now be more homelike while ensuring that the most modern fire protection practices are in place."
Some requirements applicable to hospitals in the updated final rule include:
- Facilities in buildings taller than 75 feet need to install automatic sprinkler systems within 12 years of the rule's effective date
- Facilities need to have a fire watch or building evacuation if the sprinkler system is out of service for more than 10 hours
- Fireplaces are permitted in smoke compartments without a one-hour fire wall rating, enabling a more homelike environment
Healthcare facilities must comply with regulations within 60 days of the publication date, unless otherwise specified in the final rule.