Assisted Living Facility Question

[Kidd]

Hi guys!

I've been asked to help convert a residential single family home to an assisted living facility. After going through article 517, it looks like this would pretty much be exempt from most of their requirements, but I just wanted to ask it since it would be my first time dealing with one of these.

Background
The plan is to convert a single family 4 bedroom house to an ALF that would house 6-8 "patients" (I quote it because I believe it's just elderly folks). There will be no medical equipment in the facility, it will basically be almost like a boarding house for the elderly, sleeping 1-2 people per room with 24hr care provided.

NEC
After going through the NEC it looks like I'd be exempt from the wiring methods in 517 part II since the only areas in the home are going to be general living areas (dining rooms, living roms) and bedrooms which will be used exclusively for sleeping. (I'm assuming giving patients pills/medication is ok and doesnt make this a patient care space).

I also saw it says I'd be exempt from 517 part III as long as i have an automatic battery operated system(s) to provide power for equipment and egress lighting for at least 90 minutes. since there is no real medical equipment, I believe I really just need the egress lighting.

Other than that, it looks like we would be exempt from the other requirements in 517. Am I understanding this correctly? Are there any special requirements that I might have missed?

Thanks for your help gents!

Kidd

 

[ramsy]

The NEC may not directly reference your requirements. You could learn about those at local IAEI chapters, and get CEU's for your attendance.

The most obvious is ADA Standards for Accessibility, which dwellings are not required to be designed.

The not so obvious safety-device listing that prohibits life-support equipment, that is common to board and care.

NFPA-70 mentions product instructions per 110.3(B), but does not give critical examples like the life support issue.

Without reading those separate product instructions, and cautious respect for listing limits, your work provides freebee's to the insurance industry.

Can you see the insurance inspector laughing all the way to the bank, after denying claims for ADA, or product-listing violations?

 

[kwired]

Even nursing homes typically only have limited areas that must comply with art 517. Majority of the rooms are simply living units with no routine medical procedures being performed. Someone suddenly gets worse condition they administer what is necessary to stabilize them then move them to a designated room or even a higher care level facility, sort of no difference than paramedics coming to your house except the first res-ponder is already on site.

 

[ron]

Speak to the Architect that is making the Permit application. From the Building Code Chapter 3, it would seem it would be an Institutional Group I-1 Occupancy.

The NEC may not apply, but some other building code items might, such as interface with a required sprinkler system. Multiple station smoke alarms will be somewhat similar to residential for Group I-1 in Section 907.2.6.1