General Building Requirements

Section 390 Section 390.3000  General Building Requirements a)         Elevators 1)         Provide a minimum of one elevator in all  buildings of three or more stories in  height.  Additional elevators shall be provided as determined by the Department,  based on the number, population, and condition of the residents.  The lowest level, if it is used by residents, shall be considered as one story. 2)         If 60 to 200 beds,  cribs and bassinets are located above the  second floor, at least one additional  elevator shall be provided.  If over 200 beds, cribs and bassinets are  located above the second floor, the number  of additional elevators shall be determined  by the Department. 3)         The administrator of the facility must be  able to demonstrate to the Department the  ability to transfer a resident according to  physician's orders using existing elevators  and elevator doors. b)         Handrails and Grab Bars 1)         Handrails shall be provided on both sides of  all corridors, stairs, and ramps.  Handrails  shall be one and one-half inches in  diameter and one and one-half inches  minimum clear of the wall. Refer to the rules of Capital Development Board entitled "Illinois Accessibility Code" (71 Ill. Adm. Code 400) for  other acceptable handrail dimensions and  details.  (B) 2)         Grab bars shall be provided at all resident  toilets, showers, tubs, and sitz bath.  Refer to the rules of the Capital Development Board entitled "Illinois Accessibility Code" (71 Ill. Adm. Code 400) for grab bar dimensions and  details.  (B) 3)         Handrails and grab bars shall be installed  at a height to meet the special needs of the  residents of each facility.  (B) c)         Ceiling Heights 1)         All rooms occupied by or used by residents  shall have not less than eight feet ceiling height. 2)         Corridors, storage rooms, toilet rooms and other minor rooms shall have not less than seven feet, eight inches ceiling height. 3)         Suspended tracks, rails and pipes located in  the path of traffic shall not be less than  six feet, eight inches above the  floor. d)         Doors and Windows 1)         Main entrance and exit doors shall swing  outward and be provided with door closers  and panic-hardware.  (B) 2)         Door Alarm System.  (See Section 390.3040(f).) 3)         Locks installed on resident bedroom doors  shall be so arranged that they can be  quickly and easily unlocked from the  corridor side.  All such locks shall be  arranged to permit exit from the room by a  simple operation without the use of a key.  The door may be lockable by the occupant if  the door can be unlocked from the corridor  side and the keys are carried by the  attendants at all times.  (B) 4)         The doors for the toilet rooms used by  residents shall have a minimum door width of 30 inches.  (B) 5)         No toilet or bathroom door shall be provided  with hardware which could allow a resident  to become locked in the room.  All toilet or  bathroom doors and hardware shall be  designed to permit emergency egress from the room.  (B) 6)         Thresholds or parting strips in doorways  used by residents shall be in accordance with the rules of the Capital Development Board entitled "Illinois Accessibility Code" (77 Ill. Adm. Code 400). 7)         Doors and windows shall fit snugly and be  weather tight, and shall open and close easily. 8)         Outside doors, other than required exits,  and operable windows shall be equipped with  tight-fitting, 16-mesh screens.  Screen doors shall be equipped with self-closing  devices. e)         Floors 1)         Floors shall be smooth, free from cracks and  finished so that they can be easily and  properly cleaned.  (B) 2)         Floors in bathrooms, kitchens, and utility  rooms shall be completely covered with water  resistant material.  (B) f)         Walls and Ceilings 1)         Walls and ceilings shall have sound  construction, covered with plaster or sheet  rock or similar material in good repair, and  free from cracks or holes to permit proper  cleaning. 2)         Be constructed and maintained so as to  prevent the entrance and harborage of rats,  mice, flies, and other vermin. g)         Exit corridor walls shall be one hour  fire rated construction.  Adjoining open  spaces shall not be greater than six hundred (600) square feet.  Provide direct visual  supervision of these open spaces and equip them with an electrically supervised smoke detection system.  (B) h)         There shall be at least one approved  fire extinguisher in all basements, furnace  rooms, and kitchens.  In addition, there  shall be on each floor of the building extinguishers located so a person will not  have to travel more than 50 feet  from any point to reach one. They shall be  inspected annually and recharged when  necessary.  The date of checking and  recharging shall be recorded on a tag  attached to the extinguisher.  (B) i)          Approved containers with proper covers shall  be provided for daily storage of rubbish.  (B) j)          Housekeeping throughout the building, including basements, attics, and unoccupied  rooms shall be adequately performed to  minimize all fire hazards.  (B) k)         Comply with any reasonable additional fire  protection measures recommended by the  Department over and above these requirements or the Office of the State Fire Marshal if conditions in and around building, including its location, indicate that such additional protection is needed. (B) l)          The building in which a facility is located shall have no other business that is unrelated to health care and that constitutes a hazard or annoyance to the residents.  The business  shall be in a segregated portion of the building and shall have a separate entrance.  (A, B)