SECTION 553.235. Fire Protection Systems Requirements for a New Large Type A Assisted Living Facility

(a) Fire alarm and smoke detection system. A new large Type A assisted living facility must provide a manual fire alarm system meeting the requirements of 9.6, Fire Detection, Alarm, and Communication Systems, in NFPA 101, Chapter 9, Building Service and Fire Protection Equipment, as modified by this section.

(1) General. A new large Type A assisted living facility must ensure the operation of any alarm initiating device automatically activates the manual fire alarm system evacuation alarm for the entire building.

(2) Smoke detectors.

(A) A new large Type A assisted living facility must install smoke detectors in resident bedrooms, corridors, hallways, living rooms, dining rooms, offices, kitchens, laundries, attached garages used for car parking, and public or common areas, except as permitted in subparagraphs (B) - (D) of this paragraph.

(B) A new large Type A assisted living facility may install heat detectors in lieu of smoke detectors in kitchens, laundries, and attached garages used for car parking.

(C) A new large Type A assisted living facility located in a building constructed to meet the requirements of NFPA 101, Chapter 18, New Health Care Occupancies, may install a smoke detection system meeting the requirements of 19.3.4.5.1, Corridors, in NFPA 101, Chapter 18, New Health Care Occupancies, in lieu of the requirements found in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of this paragraph.

(D) A new large Type A assisted living facility comprised of buildings containing living units with independent cooking equipment must additionally have:

(i) a smoke detector installed all in resident bedrooms, corridors, hallways, living rooms, dining rooms, offices, kitchens and laundries within the living unit, that sounds an alarm only within the living unit; and

(ii) a heat detector installed in the kitchen within the living unit that activates the general alarm.

(E) A new large Type A assisted living facility is not required to install smoke alarms, as required by 32.3.4.7, Smoke Alarms, in NFPA 101, Chapter 32, New Residential Board and Care Occupancies, in addition to the smoke detectors required by subparagraphs (A) - (D) of this paragraph.

(3) Alarm control panel.

(A) A new large Type A assisted living facility must provide a fire alarm control unit, or a fire alarm annunciator providing annunciation of all fire alarm, supervisory, and trouble signals by audible and visible indicators, in a location visible to staff at or near the staff area that is attended 24 hours a day.

(B) A new large Type A assisted living facility is not required to ensure a fire alarm control unit or fire alarm annunciator is visible to staff if the fire alarm is monitored by devices carried by all staff.

(C) A new large Type A assisted living facility must ensure a fire alarm panel indicates each floor and smoke compartment, as applicable, as a separate zone. Each zone must provide an alarm and trouble indication. When all alarm initiating devices are addressable and the status of each device is identified on the fire alarm panel, zone indication is not required.

(4) Fire alarm power source.

(A) A new large Type A assisted living facility must ensure a fire alarm system is powered by a permanently-wired, dedicated branch circuit that is powered from a commercial power source in accordance with NFPA 70.

(B) A new large Type A assisted living facility must provide a secondary, emergency power source meeting the requirements of NFPA 72.

(5) Emergency forces notification. A new large Type A assisted living must ensure a fire alarm system provides emergency forces notification according to the requirements of 32.3.3.4.6, Emergency Forces Notification, in NFPA 101, Chapter 32, New Residential Board and Care Occupancies.

(b) Fire sprinkler system. A new large Type A assisted living facility must provide a fire sprinkler system meeting the requirements of NFPA 13 in accordance with 32.3.3.5, in NFPA 101, Chapter 32, New Residential Board and Care Occupancies.

(c) Portable Fire Extinguishers. A new large Type A assisted living facility must provide and maintain portable fire extinguishers according to the requirements of 32.3.3.5.7, Portable Fire Extinguishers, in NFPA 101, Chapter 32, New Residential Board and Care Occupancies, and the additional requirements of this subsection.

(1) A new large Type A assisted living facility must ensure all requirements of NFPA 10 are followed for all extinguisher types, including requirements for location, spacing, mounting heights, monthly inspections by staff, yearly inspections by a licensed agent, any necessary servicing, and hydrostatic testing as recommended by the manufacturer.

(2) A new large Type A assisted living facility must ensure portable fire extinguishers are located in resident corridors so the travel distance from any point in the facility to an extinguisher is no more than 75 feet.

(3) A new large Type A assisted living facility must ensure the actual size of any portable fire extinguisher meets the requirements of NFPA 10 for maximum floor area per unit covered, but an extinguisher must be no smaller than the following.

(A) A water-type portable fire extinguisher must have a rating of at least 1-A according to NFPA 10.

(B) All other portable fire extinguishers must have a rating of at least 2-A:10-B:C according to NFPA 10.

(C) A facility must provide at least one approved 20-B:C portable fire extinguisher in each laundry, kitchen and walk-in mechanical room.

(4) A new large Type A assisted living facility must ensure portable fire extinguishers are installed on hangers or brackets supplied with the extinguisher or is mounted in an approved cabinet.

(5) A new large Type A assisted living facility must ensure a portable fire extinguisher is protected from impact or dislodgement.

(6) A new large Type A assisted living facility must ensure a portable fire extinguisher is installed at an appropriate height.

(A) A portable fire extinguisher having a gross weight of up to 40 pounds must be installed so the top of the extinguisher is not more than five feet above the floor.

(B) A portable fire extinguisher having a gross weight greater than 40 pounds must be installed so the top of the extinguisher is not more than three and a half feet above the floor.

(C) A portable fire extinguisher must be installed so the clearance between the bottom of the extinguisher and the floor is at least four inches.

(7) A portable extinguisher provided in a hazardous room must be located as close as possible to the exit access door leading from the room and on the latch or knob side of the door.

Source Note: The provisions of this §553.235 adopted to be effective August 31, 2021, 46 TexReg 5189