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450.4 Physical Plant Requirements for Disaster Preparedness of New Nursing Home Construction
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The following definitions shall apply specifically to this section:
The clear floor space of an area excluding cabinetry and other fixed furniture or equipment.
A period of 96 hours following the loss of normal support utilities to the facility that are necessary to support the health, safety and welfare of the residents and staff. These support utilities include but are not limited to normal electrical power, potable water supply, sewer and telecommunications.
The location of residents inside of the new facility or in the addition of a wing or floor to an existing facility during and immediately following a disaster. If these residents are to be relocated into an area of the existing facility during and immediately following a disaster, then for these purposes, that location will be defined as the "occupied resident area."
The area(s) required to ensure the health, safety and well-being of residents during and immediately following a disaster, such as a staff work area, clean and soiled utility areas, food preparation area and other areas as determined by the facility to be kept operational during and immediately following a disaster.
The following construction standards are in addition to the physical plant requirements described in Sections 450.2 through 450.3. These minimum standards are intended to increase the ability of the facility to be structurally capable of serving as a shelter for residents, staff and the family of residents and staff and equipped to be self-supporting during and immediately following a disaster:
Except as permitted by Section 1612 of this code, the lowest floor of all new facilities shall be elevated to the base flood elevation as defined in Section 1612 of this code, plus 2 feet (607 mm), or to the height of hurricane Category 3 (Saffir-Simpson scale) surge inundation elevation, as described by the Sea, Lake, and Overland Surge (SLOSH) from Hurricanes model developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and the National Weather Service (NWS), whichever is higher.
For all existing facilities, the lowest floor elevations of all additions, and all resident support areas including food service, and all resident support utilities, including mechanical, and electrical (except fuel storage as noted in Section 450.4.2.9.3 of this code) for the additions shall be at or above the elevation of the existing building, if the existing building was designed and constructed to comply with either the site standards of Section 450.4 of this code or local flood-resistant requirements in effect at the time of construction, whichever requires the higher elevation, unless otherwise permitted by Section 1612 of this code. If the existing building was constructed prior to the adoption of either the site standards of Section 450.4 of this code or local flood-resistant requirements, then the addition and all resident support areas and utilities for the addition as described in this section shall either be designed and constructed to meet the requirements of Section 450.4.2.2.1 of this code or be designed and constructed to meet the dry flood proofing requirements of Section 1612 of this code.
Substantial improvement, as defined by Section 1612 of this code, to all existing facilities located within flood areas as defined in Section 1612 of this code or within a Category 3 surge inundation zone as described in Section 450.4.2.2.1 of this code, shall be designed and constructed in compliance with Section 1612 of this code.
Where an off-site public access route is available to the new facility at or above the base flood elevation, a minimum of one on-site emergency access route shall be provided that is located at the same elevation as the public access route.
Wind load design of the building structure and exterior envelope including exterior wall systems shall be designed in accordance with this code.
Loose-laid ballasted roofs shall not be permitted.
All new roof appendages such as ducts, tanks, ventilators, receivers, dx condensing units and decorative mansard roofs and their attachment systems shall be structurally engineered to meet the wind load requirements of the applicable building code.
All exterior window units, skylights, exterior louvers and exterior door units including vision panels and their anchoring systems shall be impact resistant or protected with an impact-resistant covering meeting the requirements of the Testing Application Standards (TAS) 201, 202, and 203 of this code in accordance with the requirements of Sections 1626.2 through 1626.4 of this code or the debris impact requirements of ASTM E1996 as described in Section 1609.1.2.2. For the purposes of this requirement, facilities located where the ultimate design wind speeds are 130 mph or less, as described in Figure 1609.3(2) of this code, shall meet the requirements for Wind Zone 1. The impact-resistant coverings may be either permanently attached or may be removable if stored on site of the facility. Facilities located in the high velocity hurricane zone (HVHZ) shall comply with Sections 1626.2. through 1626.4.
The location or application of exterior impact protective systems shall not prevent required exit egress from the building.
When not being utilized to protect the windows, the permanently attached impact-resistant coverings shall not reduce the percentage of the clear window opening below what is required by this code for the patient room.
Critical systems and utilities identified in this section shall be protected from debris impact by a housing or enclosure complying with the impact protection standards in Sections 1626.2 through 16.26.4 when located at or below 30 feet above the finished grade of the building. Roof mounted equipment shall have fastening systems designed to meet the wind load requirements of the Florida Building Code.
All new air-moving equipment, dx condensing units, through-wall units and other HVAC equipment located outside of, partially outside of, or on the roof of the facility at or below 30 feet above the finished grade of the building and providing service to the new facility shall be permitted only when either of the following are met:
They are located inside a penthouse designed to meet the wind load requirements of the Florida Building Code, Building; or
They are protected in accordance with Section 450.4.2.5.4.
As determined by the governing body of the facility, occupied resident areas and resident support areas shall be supplied with temperature and humidity control during and immediately following loss of normal utilities. At a minimum, these areas shall be maintained at a dry-bulb temperature at or below 81°F (27.2°C). Vulnerable components of new mechanical equipment necessary to maintain safe indoor air temperature shall be protected from horizontal impact in accordance with Section 450.4.2.5.4 and shall be connected to the facility's essential electrical system described in Section 450.3.18.1 or connected to the optional standby generator described in 450.4.2.9.6.
Ventilation air change rates in occupied patient areas shall be maintained as specified in this section during and immediately following a disaster by connection to the essential electrical system. The fan systems necessary to provide this service shall receive their power from the emergency power supply system and shall be protected from horizontal impact in accordance with Section 450.4.2.6.1.
There shall be an independent on-site supply (i.e., water well) or on-site storage capability (i.e., empty water storage containers or bladders) of potable water at a minimum quantity of 3 gallons (11 L) per resident served per day during and immediately following a disaster. For planning purposes the number of in-patients shall be determined in writing by the facility. Hot water in boilers or tanks shall not be counted to meet this requirement.
There shall be an independent on-site supply or storage capability of potable water at a minimum quantity of 1 gallon (4 L) per facility staff, and other personnel in the facility per day during and immediately following a disaster. For planning purposes, the number of these personnel shall be estimated by the facility. Hot water in boilers or tanks shall not be counted to meet this requirement.
When used to meet the minimum requirements of this rule, selected system appurtenances such as water pressure maintenance house pumps and emergency water supply well pumps shall take power from the emergency power supply system(s).
Emergency electrical generator and essential electrical system standards for hurricane protection.
In addition to the requirements of NFPA 99 Health Care Facilities Code and NFPA 70 National Electrical Code, the on-site Level 1 emergency electrical power supply system shall provide electrical power to the occupied patient area(s) and patient support area(s) for the following additional equipment:
Ice-making equipment to produce ice or freezer storage equipment for the storage of ice.
If required by the emergency food plan, refrigerator unit(s) food service equipment, range hood exhaust fans and selected lighting within the kitchen and dry storage areas.
At a minimum, there shall be one clothes washer and one clothes dryer for laundry service.
Selected heating or air conditioning systems as determined by the facility, and ventilation systems as required by this code.
The emergency power supply (EPS) shall be fueled by fuel stored on-site. The fuel supply shall be sized to fuel the generator for 100-percent load for 72 hours or for 96 hours of actual demand load of the occupied resident area(s) and resident support area(s) and resident support utilities during and immediately following a disaster, whichever is greater. Where used to meet the requirements of Section 450.4.2.6.2, the fuel calculation must include the cooling demand.
The fuel supply and all fuel lines of the emergency power supply shall either be located below ground or protected in accordance with Section 450.4.2.5.4.
All panel boards, transfer switches, disconnect switches, enclosed circuit breakers or emergency system raceway systems required to support the occupied patient area(s), patient support area(s) or support utilities shall be protected in accordance with Section 450.4.2.5.4 and shall not rely on systems or devices outside of this protected area(s) for their reliability or continuation of service. The equipment system shall be kept entirely independent of all other wiring and equipment and shall not enter the same raceways, boxes, or cabinets with other wiring.
The emergency generator(s) shall be air or self-contained liquid cooled and it and other essential electrical equipment shall be protected in accordance with Section 450.4.2.5.4.
A new facility shall be equipped with either a permanent on-site optional standby system to operate at least the nonessential loads of the electrical system or the entire normal branch of the electrical system for a period of 96 hours for the demand load of the generator.
Exception: An optional standby system shall not be required where the essential electrical system provided in accordance with Section 450.3.18.1 is designed to operate the facility's entire electrical system and sufficient on-site fuel storage is provided to maintain resident occupied areas for a minimum of 96 hours for the demand load on the system.
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