February 17, 2003—The US Department of Health and Human Services Center for Medicare & Medicaid Service (CMS) has updated its fire and life safety requirements for facilities receiving Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements by adopting the 2000 edition of NFPA 101, Life Safety Code. CMS opted to apply the requirements of the updated safety code to all facilities, rather than exempt existing facilities.
The final rule amends the fire safety standards for hospitals, long-term care facilities, intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded, ambulatory surgery centers, hospices that provide inpatient services, religious non-medical healthcare institutions, critical access hospitals, and “Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly” facilities. Healthcare facilities referenced in the rule must comply with the requirements of the final rule by September 11, 2003.
The Life Safety Code, which is referenced by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) in its Environment of Care Standards, is used in every US state and has been adopted statewide in 34 states. The code sets minimum building design, construction, operation, and maintenance requirements necessary to protect building occupants from dangers caused by fire, smoke, and toxic fumes. The Life Safety Code also provides prompt escape requirements for new and existing buildings.
In December 2002, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) revised its standards for means of egress, allowing employers to comply with the NFPA 2000 Life Safety Code for comparable safety to OSHA’s Exit Routes Standard.
The Life Safety Code is a key element of the Comprehensive Consensus Codes (C3) set. The C3 set offers state and local governments the first opportunity to select a full set of codes developed through processes accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). That set is being developed through a partnership involving the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), Western Fire Chiefs Association (WFCA), and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). In states that adopt key elements of the C3 set, NFPA and IAPMO will make available free training and associated codebooks to code enforcers.
For more information, visit NFPA.
