North Carolina Administrative Code
Title 10A - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Chapter 13 - NC MEDICAL CARE COMMISSION
Subchapter D - RULES FOR THE LICENSING OF NURSING HOMES
Section .3400 - MECHANICAL: ELECTRICAL: PLUMBING
Section 13D .3403 - GENERAL ELECTRICAL

(a) In a facility, all main water supply shut off valves in the sprinkler system shall be electronically supervised so that if any valve is closed an alarm will sound at a central station manned 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

(b) No two adjacent emergency lighting fixtures shall be on the same circuit.

(c) Receptacles in bathrooms shall have ground fault protection.

(d) Each patient bed location shall be provided with a minimum of four single or two duplex receptacles. Two single receptacles or one duplex receptacle shall be connected to the critical branch of the emergency power system at each bed location. Each patient bed location shall also be provided with a minimum of two single receptacles or one duplex receptacle connected to the normal electrical system.

(e) Each patient bed location shall be supplied by at least two branch circuits.

(f) The fire alarm system shall be installed to transmit an alarm automatically to the fire department that is legally committed to serve the area in which the facility is located. The alarm shall be transmitted either to a fire department or to a third-party service that shall transmit the alarm to the fire department. The method used to transmit the alarm shall be approved by local ordinances.

(g) In patient areas, fire alarms shall be gongs or chimes rather than horns or bells.