Section R335 Special Provisions for Licensed 24-Hour Care Facilities in a Group R-3.1

The provisions of this section shall apply to 24-hour care facilities in a Group R-3.1 occupancy licensed by a governmental agency.

The provisions in this section shall apply in addition to general requirements in this code.

Restraint shall not be practiced in a Group R-3.1 occupancy.

Exception: Occupancies which meet all the requirements for a Group I-3 occupancy.

Pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 13133, regulations of the state fire marshal pertaining to Occupancies classified as Residential Facilities (RF) and Residential-care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFE) shall apply uniformly throughout the state and no city, county, city and county, including a charter city or charter county, or fire protection district shall adopt or enforce any ordinance or local rule or regulation relating to fire and panic safety which is inconsistent with these regulations. A city, county, city and county, including a charter city or charter county may pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 13143.5, or a fire protection district may pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 13869.7, adopt standards more stringent than those adopted by the state fire marshal that are reasonably necessary to accommodate local climate, geological, or topographical conditions relating to roof coverings for Residential-care Facilities for the Elderly.

Exception: Local regulations relating to roof coverings in facilities licensed as a Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE) per Health and Safety Code Section 13133.

Group R-3.1 occupancies where nonambulatory clients are housed above the first story, having more than two stories in height or having more than 3,000 square feet (279 m²) of floor area above the first story shall not be of less than one-hour fire-resistance-rated construction throughout.

In Group R-3.1 occupancies housing a bedridden client, the client sleeping room shall not be located above or below the first story.

Exception: Clients who become bedridden as a result of a temporary illness as defined in Health and Safety Code Sections 1566.45, 1568.0832 and 1569.72. A temporary illness is an illness which persists for 14 days or less. A bedridden client may be retained in excess of the 14 days upon approval by the Department of Social Services and may continue to be housed on any story in a Group R-3.1 occupancy classified as a licensed residential facility.

Every licensee admitting or retaining a bedridden resident shall, within 48 hours of the resident's admission or retention in the facility, notify the local fire authority with jurisdiction of the estimated length of time the resident will retain his or her bedridden status in the facility.

Buildings housing protective social- care homes or in occupancies housing inmates who are not restrained need not be of one-hour fire-resistive construction when not more than two stories in height. In no case shall individual floor areas exceed 3,000 square feet (279 m²). The fire-resistive protection of the exterior walls shall not be less than one hour where such walls are located within 5 feet (1524 mm) of the property line. Openings within such walls are not permitted. Openings in exterior nonrated walls need not be protected.

Group R-3.1 occupancies housing a bedridden client shall comply with Interior Wall and Ceiling Finish requirements specified for Group I-2 occupancies in Table 803.11 of the California Building Code.

An automatic sprinkler system shall be installed where required in Section R313.

Exceptions:

1. Existing Group R-3 occupancies converted to Group R-3.1 occupancies not housing bedridden clients, not housing nonambulatory clients above the first floor, and not housing clients above the second floor.
2. Existing Group R-3 occupancies converted to Group R-3.1 occupancies housing only one bedridden client and complying with Section R335.6.3.3.
3. Pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 13113 existing occupancies housing ambulatory children only, none of whom are mentally ill children or children with intellectual disabilities, and the buildings or portions thereof in which such children are housed are not more than two stories in height, and buildings or portions thereof housing such children have an automatic fire alarm system activated by approved smoke detectors.
4. Pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 13143.6 existing occupancies licensed for protective social care which house ambulatory clients only, none of whom is a child (under the age of 18 years), or who is elderly (65 years of age or over).

Smoke alarms shall be installed where required in Section R314. In addition to the provisions set forth in Section R314 the following shall apply:

1. Smoke alarms shall be provided throughout the habitable areas of the dwelling unit except kitchens.

2. Facilities housing a bedridden client:

   1. 2.1. Smoke alarms shall receive their primary power from the building wiring when such wiring is served from a commercial source and shall be equipped with a battery backup.
   2. 2.2. Smoke alarms shall be electrically interconnected so as to cause all smoke alarms to sound a distinctive alarm signal upon actuation of any single smoke alarm. Such alarm signal shall be audible throughout the facility at a minimal level of 15 db above ambient noise level. These devices need not be interconnected to any other fire alarm device, have a control panel, or be electrically supervised or provided with emergency power.

The audible signal shall be the standard fire alarm evacuation signal, ANSI S3.41 Audible Emergency Evacuation Signal, "three pulse temporal pattern," as described in NFPA 72.

See Section 907.5.2.3 of the California Building Code.

Visible alarm notification appliances shall be provided in accordance with Sections 907.5.2.3.1 through 907.5.2.3.5 of the California Building Codes.

Exceptions:

1. Visible alarm notification appliances are not required in alterations, except where an existing fire alarm system is upgraded or replaced, or a new fire alarm system is installed.
2. Visible alarm notification appliances shall not be required in enclosed exit stairways, exterior exit stairs, and exterior exit ramps.
3. Visible alarm notification appliances shall not be required in elevator cars.

Protective social care facilities which house persons who are hearing impaired, shall be provided with notification appliances for the hearing impaired installed in accordance with NFPA 72 and which shall activated upon initiation of the fire alarm system or the smoke alarms.

Exception: The use of the existing evacuation signaling scheme shall be permitted where approved by the enforcing agency.

In addition to the general means of egress requirements of Chapter 10 of the California Building Code, this section shall apply to Group R-3.1 occupancies.

Group R-3.1 occupancies shall have a minimum of two exits.

Egress through adjoining dwelling units shall not be permitted.

In a Group R-3.1 occupancy, bedrooms used by nonambulatory clients shall have access to at least one of the required exits which shall conform to one of the following:

1. Egress through a hallway or area into a bedroom in the immediate area which has an exit directly to the exterior and the corridor/hallway is constructed consistent with the dwelling unit interior walls. The hallway shall be separated from common areas by a solid wood door not less than 1³/₈ inch (35 mm) in thickness, maintained self-closing or shall be automatic closing by actuation of a smoke detector installed in accordance with Section 716.5.9 of the California Building Code.
2. Egress through a hallway which has an exit directly to the exterior. The hallway shall be separated from the rest of the house by a wall constructed consistent with the dwelling unit interior walls and opening protected by a solid wood door not less than 1³/₈ inch (35 mm) in thickness, maintained self-closing or shall be automatic closing by actuation of a smoke detector installed in accordance with Section 716.5.9 of the California Building Code.
3. Direct exit from the bedroom to the exterior, such doors shall be of a size as to permit the installation of a door not less than 3 feet (914 mm) in width and not less than 6 feet 8 inches (2032 mm) in height. When installed, doors shall be capable of opening at least 90 degrees and shall be so mounted that the clear width of the exit way is not less than 32 inches (813 mm).
4. Egress through an adjoining bedroom which exits to the exterior.

In Group R-3.1 occupancies housing a bedridden client and not provided with an approved automatic fire sprinkler system, all of the following shall apply:

1. In Group R-3.1 Occupancies housing a bedridden client, a direct exit to the exterior of the residence shall be provided from the client sleeping room.
2. Doors to a bedridden client's sleeping room shall be of a self-closing, positive latching 1³/₈ inch solid wood door. Such doors shall be provided with a gasket so installed as to provide a seal where the door meets the jam on both sides and across the top. Doors shall be maintained self-closing or shall be automatic closing by actuation of a smoke detector in accordance with Section 716.5.9 of the California Building Code.
3. Group R-3.1 Occupancies housing a bedridden client, shall not have a night latch, dead bolt, security chain or any similar locking device installed on any interior door leading from a bedridden client's sleeping room to any interior area such as a corridor, hallway and or general use areas of the residence in accordance with Chapter 10 of the California Building Code.
4. The exterior exit door to a bedridden client's sleeping room shall be operable from both the interior and exterior of the residence.
5. Every required exit doorway from a bedridden client sleeping room shall be of a size as to permit the installation of a door not less than 3 feet (914 mm) in width and not less than 6 feet 8 inches (2032 mm) in height. When installed in exit doorways, exit doors shall be capable of opening at least 90 degrees and shall be so mounted that the clear width of the exit way is not less than 32 inches (813 mm).

Note: A sliding glass door can be used as an exterior exit doorway as long as it is operable from the inside and outside and the clear width of the exit way is not less than 32 inches (813 mm).

A means of exit shall not pass through more than one intervening room. A means of egress shall not pass through kitchens, storerooms, closets, garages or spaces used for similar purposes.

Exception: Kitchens which do not form separate rooms by construction.

In Group R-3.1 occupancies housing nonambulatory clients interior changes in level up to 0.25 inch (6 mm) may be vertical and without edge treatment. Changes in level between 0.25 inch (6 mm) and 0.5 inch (12.7 mm) shall be beveled with a slope no greater than 1 unit vertical in 2 units horizontal (50% slope). Changes in level greater than 0.5 inch (12.7 mm) shall be accomplished by means of a ramp.

Group R-3.1 occupancies may continue to use existing stairways (except for winding and spiral stairways which are not permitted as a required means of egress) provided the stairs have a maximum rise of 8 inches (203 mm) with a minimum run of 9 inches (229 mm). The minimum stairway width may be 30 inches (762 mm).

Group R-3.1 occupancies with non-ambulatory clients housed above the first floor shall be provided with a non-fire resistance constructed floor separation at stairs which will prevent smoke migration between floors. Such floor separation shall have equivalent construction of 0.5 inch (12.7 mm) gypsum wallboard on one side of wall framing.

Exceptions:

1. Occupancies with at least one exterior exit from floors occupied by clients.
2. Occupancies provided with automatic fire sprinkler systems complying with Chapter 9.

Doors within such floor separations shall be tight fitting solid wood at least 1³/₈ inches (35 mm) in thickness. Door glazing shall not exceed 1296 square inches (32 918 mm²) with no dimension greater than 54 inches (1372 mm). Such doors shall be positive latching, smoke gasketed and shall be automatic-closing by smoke detection.

Grounds of a Residential Care for the Elderly facility serving Alzheimer clients may be fenced and gates therein equipped with locks, provided safe dispersal areas are located not less than 50 feet (15 240 mm) from the buildings. Dispersal areas shall be sized to provide an area of not less than 3 square feet (0.28 m²) per occupant. Gates shall not be installed across corridors or passageways leading to such dispersal areas unless they comply with egress requirements.

One exit is required to grade level when the basement is accessible to clients.

See Section 1010.1.9.7 of the California Building Code.