Section 11-99-56 - Construction requirements(a) The facility shall be accessible to and functional for physically handicapped residents, personnel and the public.(b) New construction shall be guided by "Minimum Requirements of Construction and Equipment for Hospital and Medical Facilities", DHEW Publication #79-14500, as it existed in 1984. New construction and remodeling must also meet the Uniform Building Code 1979 edition and its revisions. (1) Resident living areas shall be designed and equipped for the comfort and privacy of the resident.(2) Temperature and humidity shall be maintained within a normal comfort range.(3) There shall be provisions within the facility for one or more areas for resident dining, diversional, and social activities. Total area for recreational and dining activities shall be not less than fifty square feet per resident. (A) Dayrooms of at least thirty square feet per resident shall be equipped with reading lamps, tables, chairs, or their equivalent, for the use and comfort of the residents.(B) Dining areas of at least twenty square feet per resident shall be equipped with tables and safe chairs. A sufficient number of tables shall be of proper height to accommodate wheelchair residents.(C) If a multi-purpose room is used for dining, diversional and social activities, there shall be sufficient space to accommodate all activities and prevent their interference with each other.(D) In the event that nonresidents utilize all or part of the facilities on a regular basis, additional space and facilities must be provided on the following basis for such persons: (i) Twenty square feet per person in dining areas.(ii) Thirty square feet per person in recreational areas.(iii) One conveniently located toilet for each eight persons.(iv) Sufficient additional staff persons shall be provided to care for the needs of such persons without compromising the care of the regular residents of the facility.(4) Illumination shall be provided for the comfort and safety of residents and personnel.(5) Wall or door mirrors shall be provided and placed at convenient heights for residents' use.(c) Accessibility to living and service areas. (1) There shall be adequate space to allow free movement of occupants using wheelchairs, walkers, canes, and crutches to bed, bathroom, closet and common hallway areas. (2) Areas used for recreation, cooking, dining, storage, bathrooms, laundries, foyers, corridors, lanais, libraries, and other areas not suitable for sleeping shall not be used as bedrooms.(3) Access from each bedroom to a bathroom, toilet, corridor, central utility or other areas of the facility shall not require passing through another bedroom, cooking, dining, or recreation area.(4) All occupants of any bedroom shall be of the same sex except for those semi-private rooms which may be occupied by a married couple upon request.(d) Toilet and bath facilities (1) One toilet room shall serve no more than eight beds.(2) The toilet room shall contain a toilet and lavatory. The lavatory may be omitted from a toilet room which serves single and multi-bed rooms if each such resident's room contains a lavatory.(3) There shall be one shower or tub for each fourteen beds which are not otherwise served by bathing facilities within residents' rooms.(4) Appropriately placed grab bars shall be provided in each toilet and bathtub or shower enclosure.(5) Curtains or doors to ensure privacy shall be provided.(6) Separate toilet and bathing facilities for each sex, except where couples occupy a semi-private room with a bathroom shall be provided.(7) An adequate supply of hot and cold potable running water must be provided at all times. Temperatures of hot water at plumbing fixtures used by residents shall be automatically regulated and shall not exceed 100°F.(8) Toilet and bath facility shall have a means of signaling staff in an emergency.(9) Where bedpans are used, equipment for their care shall be provided in an appropriate area of the facility. Where toilets adjoin resident's bedroom and are used for bedpan cleaning, they shall be equipped with bedpan flushing attachments with vacuum breakers.(10) provision shall be made for terminal sterilization of permanent personal care equipment unless disposables are used.(11) Separate toilet facilities shall be provided for the use of residents and personnel.(e) Resident bedrooms (1) Each room shall be at or above grade level.(2) Windows in each bedroom shall have adequate means of ensuring privacy.(3) Multi-resident bedrooms shall have no more than four beds.(4) Single resident rooms shall measure at least one hundred square feet of usable space, excluding closets, bathrooms, alcoves, and entryways.(5) Multi-resident bedrooms shall provide a minimum of eighty square feet per bed of usable space, excluding closets, bathrooms, alcoves, and entryways.(6) Bedside screens or curtains shall be provided in multi-resident bedrooms to ensure privacy for each resident.(7) Beds shall be placed at least three feet apart and three feet from the wall at the side of the bed.(8) Each resident shall be provided with: (A) A separate bed of proper size and height for the convenience of the resident and permitting an individual in a wheelchair to get in and out of bed unassisted.(B) A comfortable mattress with impermeable mattress cover, and a pillow with an impermeable cover.(C) Sufficient clean bed linen and blankets to meet the resident's needs.(D) Appropriate furniture, cabinets and closets, which shall be accessible to and usable by the physically handicapped. Doors on a closet or furniture shall contain locks if requested by a resident.(E) An effective means of signaling staff from the resident's bedside.(f) Ramps shall be designed to permit use by residents in wheelchairs. Ramps shall meet the requirements of the Uniform Building Code 1979 edition and its revisions.(g) Floors and walls (1) Floors shall be of slip-resistant materials which does not retain odors and is flush at doorways.(2) Walls, floors and ceilings of rooms used by residents shall be made of materials which shall permit washing, cleaning, and painting. (h) Windows and lighting. (1) Each bedroom shall have at least one outside window.(2) A bedroom shall have an aggregate window area of not less than one-tenth of the gross floor area.(3) Residents' rooms shall have adequate artificial light.(4) There shall be night lighting in residents' rooms, toilets, and service areas.(5) In rooms containing wheelchair residents, at least one window shall be low enough to permit outdoor viewing by the wheelchair-bound resident. (i) Where appropriate, screening of doors and windows shall be provided, using screening having sixteen meshes per inch.(j) Doors (1) Sliding doors or folding doors shall not be used as exit doors, and if used in other areas, shall be of light material and easy to handle.(2) Double acting doors shall be provided with vision panels of sufficient height to permit use by walkers as well as wheelchair riders.(k) Corridors (1) The minimum clear width of a corridor shall be forty-four inches except that corridors serving one or more nonambulatory or semi-ambulatory residents shall be not less than eight feet in width.(2) Stationary handrails shall be installed along both sides of corridors.(l) Storage space (1) Locked space shall be provided for janitor's supplies and equipment.(2) Space, conveniently located, for other equipment shall be provided.(m) Water supply. The water supply shall be in accordance with the provisions of chapter 340-E, HRS.(n) Ventilation. Chapter 11-39 Administrative Rules, entitled "Air conditioning and Ventilating", shall be followed.(o) Additions and alterations or repairs to existing buildings. (1) Where the structure was in use for this type occupancy prior to the effective date of these rules, the director, with discretion, may waive or modify any portion of the standard provided such exceptions do not create a hazard to residents, personnel or public.(2) This section does not prohibit the use of equivalent alternate space utilizations, new concepts of plan designs and material or systems if written approval of such alternatives is granted by the department.(3) Drawings and specifications for all new construction or additions, alterations, or repairs, to existing buildings subject to this chapter shall be submitted to the department for review and a certificate of need where applicable.(4) Construction shall not commence prior to the department's approval of construction drawings and specifications.(5) The department shall review such submittals and advise the applicant in writing of its determination.(6) The department may make written recommendations to the applicant for its consideration but the recommendations shall not be considered mandatory.(7) Unless construction is commenced within one year of the approval of final construction drawings and specifications together with their application shall be resubmitted for review and approval.(8) Minor alterations which do not affect structural integrity, fire safety, or change functional operation, or which do not increase beds or services over that for which the facility is licensed may be submitted by free hand drawings or by more conventional drawings and specifications.(9) Maintenance and repair routinely performed by the facility do not require review or approval by the department.(10) Facilities shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with provisions of state and county zoning, building, fire safety and sanitation codes and laws applicable in the state.[Eff. APR 29, 1985] (Auth: HRS §§ 321-9, 321-10, 321-11, 333-53) (Imp: HRS §§ 333-51, 333-53)