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Home My WebLink AboutBLD2006-01122 Code Clarification - BLD Letters / Memos - 5/1/2002 y k WASHINGTON ASSOCIATION OF BUILDING OFFICIALS May 1,2002 TO: Building Officials DSHS Adult Family Home Licensing Staff FROM: Mary Kate Martin,Leonard Yarberry,John P.Neff;WABO Janice Schurman, Robert Stroh,DSHS Aging and Adult Services SUBJECT: Clarification of UBC 310.14(WAC 51-40);Adult Family Homes The purpose of this memo is to provide much-needed clarification to the building code rules regulating Adult Family Homes. These rules became effective July 1,2001. The regulations for Adult Family Homes were removed from the LC Occupancy requirements. Adult Family Homes-in compliance with State law—are now properly classified as Group R,Division 3 Occupancies. However, in making this change, it was recognized that there are some specific life safety issues facing Adult Family Homes that do not exist in typical single family dwellings. Because of that,besides having to meet all of the requirements for any Group R, Division 3 Occupancy, there are specific added requirements in UBC 310.14. APPLICABILITY: The regulations noted' BC 3 14 ap y ONLY to"all newly constructed adult family homes AND all existing single family homes being converte o adult family homes." The rules are clear that these requirements DO NOT apply to any adult family homes "licensed by the State of Washington Department of Social and Health Services prior to July 1, 2001." REASON: It was clear in the development of these new regulations that any newly licensed adult family home needs to meet these requirements. However, it was also recognized that there are many other adult family homes that are already licensed and may not meet these new requirements. It was not the intent of these regulations to retroactively apply to existing licensed Adult Family Homes. ADULT FAMILY HOME DEFINED: UBC Section 202 defines them as "a family abode in which a person or persons provide personal care, special care, room and board to more than one but not more than six adults who are not related by blood or marriage to the person or persons providing the services." Administered By ORGANIZATION MANAGEMENT,INC. (Olympia,Washington) If a home has just been constructed—or an existing home wishes to become newly licensed as an adult family home—the home owner must(1)receive approval from the local building official, and(2) obtain a license from the Department of Social and Health Services. A license cannot be issued by DSHS without the local building official's approval of the home, certifying compliance with these regulations. SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS: ➢ Floor Plan: To obtain approval as an adult family home,the applicant must(in addition to any other building permit submittal requirements)must submit: • An application identifying the project(or change of use) as a Group R, Division 3 Adult Family Home; • A floor plan identifying the means of egress and any components of the means of egress, such as stairways, ramps, etc.,and clearing noting all sleeping rooms in the dwelling. Note: This submittal would typically be the floor plan/evacuation plan submitted by the applicant to DSHS for approval. This plan will serve both purposes. ➢ Sleeping Room Classification: In the LC Occupancy chapter,we in the building department are supposed to classify the occupants Evacuation Capability"(Levels I, II or III) based on their ability to respond to an emergency situation and evacuate themselves. UBC Section 310.14.3 has eliminated that requirement in adult family homes. This section now merely requires that the building department classify each sleeping room as either a Type S,NS1 or NS2. These mean: Type S: a sleeping room that has as a part of its means of egress, stairs, elevators or platform lifts. Type NS 1: a sleeping room that has one means of egress at grade level or has a ramp complying with UBC 1106.8. Type NS2: a sleeping room where two means of egress are at grade level or has ramps complying with UBC 1106.8 are provided. The classification of the bedrooms—noted on the approved floor plan—will then allow the DSHS licensors to limit the usage of those rooms by the occupants Evacuation Capability. For example: A Type S room could be occupied by a person with Evacuation Capability Level 1—capable of walking a normal path to safety, including stairs. ➢ Locks and Latches: The building department has to approve the locksets installed on bedroom doors, and bathroom doors All need to whether locked or not. This is to allow the care be openable from the outside, fiver access in the event the g occupant falls or has another emergency and can't respond to unlock the door. All latches on closets need to be openable from the inside. This is to allow an occupant, if they get into a closet and the door closes behind them, to get out of the closet by themselves. ➢ Smoke Alarm Requirements: This is a significant change applicable only to adult family homes. This section requires that if one smoke detector activates, it will be audible in all parts of the building. For example: if a smoke detector inside the bedroom of an aged occupant activates, the sound of the activation has to be audible in the caregiver's room, the laundry room, the kitchen, or wherever the caregiver may be at the moment. Typically, this will require that smoke detection units are wired together so all activate at once. And,others may need to be added in non-sleeping room areas. ➢ Escape Windows: All newly constructed or newly licensed adult family homes are required to have emergency escape and rescue windows meeting the requirements of Section 310.4. There are no exceptions for existing structures being converted to adult family homes after July 1,2001. ➢ Fire Apparatus Access Roads and Water Supply: All adult family homes are required to be served by both access roadways and water supplies meeting the requirements as specified in the published Article 9 of the Uniform Fire Code. [Note: RCW 19.27, and WAC 51 specifically do not adopt Article 9 provisions into state law. The intent of this section is to apply those requirements as published, for adult family homes.] The exceptions for sprinklered structures could be applied by the local jurisdiction. The purpose of this requirement is to prohibit adult family homes in locations not readily accessible by emergency apparatus. In case of a fire in these types of uses, evacuation of the occupants is paramount, and must be accounted for in the placement and design of the home. Attached to this clarification memo is a checklist developed by WABO, in cooperation with DSHSfor use by both building departments and licensors. p I ' REQUEST FOR INSPECTION- Adult Family Home APPLICATION NUMBER: Applicant must complete sections 1, 2, 3, and 4. Application must be complete to be processed. SECTION 1 -PROPERTY INFORMATION SITE ADDRESS: Wo 1 �6'L1�W V 1yt ASSESSOR'S TAX/PARCEL#: J.2336Z.5 ,ft-�'Y,f SECTION • • PROPERTY OWNER NAME: k).)R`kR C F c.`�Os hL '`I�C� ,-R C DAYTIME PHONE: ale() c) 5 5 47 �r LICENSEE NAME(IF DIFFER: V RC ,E , �f Y'T� DAYTIME PHONE: A53- R 5`7 3 qO 1 SECTION • • • PLAN A complete floor plan must include all sleeping rooms, identified by number (#1, #2, #3 etc.)and all components for exiting, i.e. stairs, ramps, platform lifts and elevators. (Attach additional sheets if necessary) SECTIONBLOCK I certify under penalty of perjury that the information furnished by me is true and correct to the best of my knowledge,and that I am authorized by the owner of the above premises to request inspection for and operate an Adult Family Home at this location. I further certify that I have made application to the Department of Social and Health Services and the jurisdiction for the appropriate license(s)to conduct such business at this location. I further agree to hold harmless the jurisdiction conducting such inspections at my request as to any claim(including costs,expenses,and attorneys'fees incurred in the investigation of such claim),which may be made by any person,including the undersigned,and filed against the jurisdiction,but only where such claim arises out of the reliance of the jurisdiction,including its officers and employees,upon the accuracy of the information supplied to the jurisdi 'on as a part of this applllica' n. 1\ �L DATE: O \ NAME/TITLE: \� J PROPERTY OWNER APPLICANT :ICENSEE SECTION 5-INSPECTION CHECKLIST YES NO Home licensed (or applying for license) on or after July 1, 2001 0 0 SLEEPING ROOMS ❑ 0 Sleeping Room #1 ❑ S ❑ NS1 1A NS2 Bedroom door is openable from the outside when locked ❑ ❑ Closet doors are readily openable from the inside ❑ ❑ Smoke alarm is installed in the bedroom ❑ ❑ Sleeping room window has a minimum net openable area of 5.7 sf. (minimum dimensions-24"high;20"wide) ❑ ❑ Sleeping room window has a maximum sill height of 44" 0 ❑ Sleeping Room #2 ❑ S -f�,NS1 ❑ NS2 Bedroom door is openable from the outside when locked ❑ 0 Closet doors are readily openable from the inside ❑ ❑ Smoke alarm is installed in the bedroom ❑ ❑ Sleeping room window has a minimum net openable area of 5.7 sf. (minimum dimensions-24"high;20"wide) ❑ ❑ Sleeping room window has a maximum sill height of 44" ❑ 0 Sleeping Room #3 ❑ SI NS 1 0 NS2 Bedroom door is openable from the outside when locked ❑ ❑ Closet doors are readily openable from the inside ❑ ❑ Smoke alarm is installed in the bedroom ❑ ❑ Sleeping room window has a minimum net openable area of 5.7 sf. (minimum dimensions-24"high;20"wide) 0 ❑ Sleeping room window has a maximum sill height of 44" 0 ❑ Sleeping Room #4 ❑ S �f-NS 1 0 NS2 Bedroom door is openable from the outside when locked ❑ ❑ Closet doors are readily openable from the inside ❑ 0 Smoke alarm is installed in the bedroom 0 ❑ Sleeping room window has a minimum net openable area of 5.7 sf. (minimum dimensions-24"high;20"wide) ❑ ❑ Sleeping room window has a maximum sill height of 44" ❑ ❑ Sleeping Room #5 ❑ S 0 NS 1 ❑ NS2 Bedroom door is openable from the outside when locked ❑ 0 Closet doors are readily openable from the inside ❑ ❑ Smoke alarm is installed in the bedroom ❑ ❑ Sleeping room window has a minimum net openable area of 5.7 sf. (minimum dimensions-24"high;20"wide) ❑ 0 Sleeping room window has a maximum sill height of 44" ❑ ❑ Sleeping Room #6 ❑ S ❑ NS 1 ❑ NS2 Bedroom door is openable from the outside when locked e ❑ Closet doors are readily openable from the inside Er, ❑ Smoke alarm is installed in the bedroom R" ❑ Sleeping room window has a minimum net openable area of 5.7 sf. (minimum dimensions-24"high;20"wide) I' ❑ Sleeping room window has a maximum sill height of 44" Ly, ❑ GENERAL Bathroom doors are openable from the outside when locked Er" ❑ Smoke alarms are installed on all levels of the dwelling 2--, ❑ All smoke alarms are audible in all parts of the dwelling upon activation of a single device Ir' ❑ / Access road and water supply approved by Fire Department ❑ 0 PASSED �6 CORRECTIONS REQUIRED ❑ PERMIT REQUIRED INSPECTOR: DATE: Z6' �� Vv 4 � � • v--yL V � � , I M �ry I I awm 'H'O Lx w (C� �Mnn Rao i-sae" f � 's 1 I lo ) f )nMn 000 .anmla ' I \ •r � L A �I� Hlv'➢yi+)H 9I'U- 3k - �'Y ' � �•�n In�mG 1iN GN 7.4 H1Y4 'HaO X6 , EOO Wal Ai1HV3 , asnn r i s X4 1f d 2 za Tl d -a315^1r) p• n*ob lA t .) HS O•IM l-4 a i qwl„ O%OSOS Or 090S OK OSOG