SECTION 554.303. Emergency Power

(a) Emergency power systems must meet the requirements of NFPA 99 applicable to existing facilities, for the risk category determined by the requirements of §19.300(i) of this subchapter (relating to General Requirements), and the requirements of this section. Rehabilitation or modernization of an existing emergency power system must be based on the assessed risk category and according to the requirements of NFPA 99 for new health care facilities.

(b) An emergency electrical power system must supply power adequate at least for lighting all entrances and exits, equipment to maintain the fire detection, alarm, and extinguishing systems, and any systems or equipment whose failure is likely to cause major injury or death to a resident if the normal electrical supply is interrupted. Emergency electrical services by generator or battery must be provided to comply with the provisions of NFPA 70. Battery systems must be capable of sustaining power for a duration of at least one and one-half hours.

(1) The emergency electrical power system must supply the following systems:

(A) illumination for means of egress, nurses' stations, medication rooms, dining and living rooms, and areas immediately outside of exit doors;

(B) exit signs and exit directional signs required by NFPA 101;

(C) alarm systems, including fire alarms activated by manual stations, water flow alarm devices of sprinkler systems, fire and smoke detecting systems, and alarms required for nonflammable medical gas systems if installed;

(D) task illumination and selected receptacles at any required or provided generator set location;

(E) selected duplex receptacles, including receptacles in resident corridors, each resident-bed location where systems or equipment is used whose failure is likely to cause major injury or death to a resident, nurses' stations, medication rooms, including biological refrigerator, if a generator is required or provided;

(F) nurse call systems;

(G) resident room night lights when provided;

(H) elevator cab lighting, control, and communication systems;

(I) all facility telephone equipment; and

(J) those paging or speaker systems that are necessary for the communication plan for an emergency. Radio transceivers that are necessary for emergency use must be capable of operating for at least one hour upon total failure of both normal and emergency power.

(2) If the emergency electrical power system supplies other systems the facility considers critical to operation, the transfer to the emergency power source must be by delayed automatic connection.

(3) The emergency lighting must be automatically in operation within 10 seconds after the interruption of normal electrical power supply. Emergency service to receptacles and equipment may be a delayed automatic connection. Receptacles connected to emergency power must be of a uniform and distinctive color. Stored fuel capacity must be sufficient for not less than four hours of required generator operation.

(4) An emergency motor generator, if provided, must meet the following standards:

(A) any emergency generator must be installed in accordance with NFPA 37, NFPA 110 and NFPA 99;

(B) generators located on the exterior of the building must be provided with a noncombustible protective cover or be protected as per manufacturer's recommendations; and

(C) motor generators fueled by public utility natural gas must have the capacity to be manually or automatically switched to an alternate fuel source, as specified in NFPA 70.

(5) Wiring for the emergency system must be in accordance with NFPA 70.

(c) When the failure of systems or equipment is likely to cause major injury or death to a resident, such as the failure of a mechanical ventilator used to support or completely control breathing, the facility must provide emergency electrical power with an emergency generator as, defined in NFPA 99, located on the premises.

Source Note: The provisions of this §554.303 adopted to be effective July 1, 1996, 21 TexReg 4408; amended to be effective March 1, 2001, 26 TexReg 1171; amended to be effective March 22, 2018, 43 TexReg 1646; transferred effective January 15, 2021, as published in the Texas Register December 11, 2020, 45 TexReg 8871