La. Admin. Code tit. 48 § I-5545

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

Section I-5545 - Safety and Sanitation

A. There shall be a written staff organization plan and detailed written procedures for meeting all potential emergencies and disasters pertinent to the area, such as fire, severe weather, and missing persons. These plans and procedures shall be posted at suitable locations throughout the facility.

B. Evacuation drills shall be held at least quarterly for each shift of facility personnel, in residential facilities. (Monthly for day-care facilities).

C. Drills shall be held under varied conditions in order to insure that all personnel are trained to perform assigned tasks and that all personnel are familiar with the use of the firefighting equipment in the facility.

D. Evacuation drills shall include actual evacuation of all persons to safe areas during at least one drill each year, on each shift. There shall be special provisions for the evacuation of the physically handicapped. There shall be a written, filed report and evaluation of each evacuation drill.

E. Paint used inside the facility shall be lead-free. Old paint or plaster containing lead shall have been removed, or covered in such manner that is not accessible to those in care.

F. The facility shall be accessible to and functional for those cared for, the staff, and the public. All necessary accommodations must be made to meet the needs of persons with semi-ambulatory disabilities, sight and hearing disabilities of coordination, as well as other disabilities.

G. Necessary accommodations shall include:

1. the facility grounds must be graded to the same level as the primary entrance so that the building is accessible to the physically handicapped;

2. the width and grade of walks used by handicapped individuals and the public, must be designed so that they can be utilized by the handicapped;

3. if the facility has a parking lot, a properly designated parking space available near the building, allowing room for the physically handicapped to get in and out of an automobile onto a surface suitable for wheeling and walking, must be provided;

4. all ramps shall be designed so that they can be negotiated by individuals in wheelchairs;

5. there shall be a primary entrance usable by persons in wheelchairs;

6. doors used by the handicapped and the public shall be of sufficient width and so equipped and of a weight to permit persons in wheelchairs to open them with a single effort;

7. stairs that may be used by the physically handicapped shall be of a height and design that allows such individuals to negotiate them without assistance;

8. stairs shall be equipped with handrails, at least one of which must extend past the top and bottom steps;

9. there shall be an appropriate number of toilet rooms accessible to and usable by the handicapped;

10. there shall be an appropriate number of water fountains accessible to and usable by the handicapped;

11. there shall be an appropriate number of public telephones accessible to and usable by the handicapped;

12. switches and controls of frequent or essential use shall be within reach of wheelchair users;

13. the facility shall provide appropriate means for the blind to identify rooms, facilities, and hazardous areas;

14. safeguards shall be taken to eliminate hazards for the handicapped;

15. closets assigned to physically handicapped residents shall be accessible to and usable by him;

16. beds assigned to residents in wheelchairs shall be of a height that permits them to get in and out of bed unassisted.

H. The certification agency may waive in existing building, for such periods as deemed appropriate, any of these standards which, if rigidly enforced, would result in unreasonable hardship upon the facility, but only if such waiver will not affect the health and safety of the persons cared for.

I. There shall be records that document strict compliance with the sanitation, health, and environmental safety codes of the state or local authorities having primary jurisdiction over the facility. Written reports of inspections by state or local authorities and records of action taken on their recommendations, shall be kept on file at the facility.

J. The facility shall have an appropriate and written preventive maintenance program. There shall be sufficient personnel to accomplish the required engineering and maintenance functions, either directly or through arrangements. The following standards must be met in addition to the general standards by all facilities caring primarily for mentally retarded persons.

La. Admin. Code tit. 48, § I-5545

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Human Resources, Office of the Secretary, Division of Licensing and Certification, LR 13:246 (April 1987).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 46:1971 through 1980.