309A.3 Establishing Eligibility for Removal From General Acute Care Service

In order to establish that one or more SPC buildings are eligible for removal from general acute care service, the hospital owner shall submit construction documents showing that after the SPC buildings are removed from general acute care service:

1. All basic acute care services or supplemental services on the hospital's license are provided in SPC buildings satisfying the requirements for SPC-2, SPC-3, SPC-4, SPC-4D, or SPC-5.

   Exception: If the hospital includes SPC-1 buildings that are not being removed from general acute care service, and these SPC-1 buildings have an approved extension to the SPC-2 deadline, basic acute care services or supplemental services on the hospital's license are permitted to remain in these SPC buildings for the duration of their extension or until these SPC-1 buildings are removed from general acute care service, whichever comes first.

2. All basic acute care services or supplemental services on the hospital's license are provided in SPC buildings satisfying the requirements for NPC-3, NPC-4/NPC-4D, or NPC-5.

   Exception: Services shall be permitted to be located in SPC buildings satisfying the requirements of NPC-2 if the SPC buildings have an approved extension to NPC-3 deadline.

3. The hospital complies with all egress requirements, including occupant load, number of required exits and travel distance to exits, and provides evidence that no egress from any acute care hospital building passes through the SPC buildings removed from general acute care service, SPC-1 buildings, or through buildings not under OSHPD jurisdiction.

   Exceptions:

   1. If the SPC building has an approved extension to the SPC-2 deadline, existing egress through the SPC-1 building shall be permitted for the duration of the extension or until the SPC-1 building is removed from general acute care service, whichever comes first.
   2. When permitted by Section 308A.1.1.1.6.
4. No SPC building removed from general acute care service is used as a smoke compartment for any acute care hospital building. Buildings not under OSHPD jurisdiction shall not be used as a smoke compartment for any acute care hospital building.

5. Structural separation, fire barriers and fire walls shall satisfy the requirements of the California Building Standards Code.

   Exception: An SPC seismic separation in accordance with the California Administrative Code Chapter 6 Section 3.4 shall be deemed to satisfy the building structural/seismic separation requirement in this section for SPC buildings that will remain under OSHPD jurisdiction.

6. If the SPC building removed from general acute care service shares a common fire alarm system with the acute care hospital, the main fire alarm control panel shall be located in an acute care hospital building. The SPC building removed from general acute care service shall be in a separate zone monitored by the main fire alarm control panel. Flexible connections shall be provided for conduits/conductors crossing structural or SPC seismic separation joints. If the intent is to place the SPC building under local jurisdiction, the building shall satisfy Section 309A.5.1.

   Exception: Flexible connections for fire alarm conduits/conductors crossing seismic separation joints between an SPC building removed from general acute care service and adjacent SPC-1 or SPC-2 buildings may be omitted, provided the fire alarm in the adjacent SPC-1 and SPC-2 buildings have no connection to any SPC-3, SPC-4, SPC-4D, and SPC-5 buildings providing general acute care service.

7. If the SPC building removed from general acute care service shares the fire sprinkler system with the acute care hospital, an isolation valve with a tamper switch shall be provided to isolate the portion of the system serving the SPC building removed from acute care service. Flexible connections shall be provided in piping that crosses structural or SPC seismic separation joints. The fire sprinkler system shall not originate in the SPC building removed from general acute care service. If the intent is to place the building under local jurisdiction, the building shall satisfy Section 309A.5.1.

   Exception: Flexible connections for seismic separation joints and fail safe shutoff valves, and disconnects for utilities between an SPC building removed from general acute care service and adjacent SPC-1 or SPC-2 buildings may be omitted, provided utilities in the adjacent SPC-1 and SPC-2 buildings have no connection to any SPC-3, SPC-4, SPC-4D, and SPC-5 buildings providing general acute care service.

8. Patient access as required by California Building Code Section 1224.4.7.5 does not pass through an SPC building removed from general acute care service or through buildings that are not under the jurisdiction of OSHPD.
9. The primary accessible entrance to the hospital is not through an SPC building removed from general acute care service or through buildings that are not under the jurisdiction of OSHPD.
10. No utilities servicing acute care hospital buildings originate in or pass through, over, or under, an SPC building removed from general acute care service, except as permitted by Section 307A.1.1.1.5, or a building not under OSHPD jurisdiction.

11. If utilities originating in an acute care hospital building feed an SPC building removed from general acute care hospital service, fail safe shutoff valves and/or disconnects shall be provided that permit isolation of the SPC building removed from general acute care service from the hospital utilities. Flexible connections shall be provided for all utilities crossing structural or SPC seismic separation joints.

    Exception: Flexible connections for seismic separation joints and fail safe shutoff valves, and disconnects for utilities between an SPC building removed from general acute care service and adjacent SPC-1 or SPC-2 buildings may be omitted, provided utilities in the adjacent SPC-1 and SPC-2 buildings have no connection to any SPC-3, SPC-4, SPC-4D, and SPC-5 buildings providing general acute care service.