Texas Administrative Code
Title 25 - HEALTH SERVICES
Part 1 - DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES
Chapter 133 - HOSPITAL LICENSING
Subchapter I - PHYSICAL PLANT AND CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
Section 133.161 - Requirements for Buildings in Which Existing Licensed Hospitals Are Located
Universal Citation: 25 TX Admin Code ยง 133.161
Current through Reg. 49, No. 38; September 20, 2024
(a) Compliance. All buildings in which existing hospitals licensed by the Department of State Health Services (department) are located shall comply with this subsection.
(1) Minimum fire safety and construction
requirements.
(A) Existing licensed hospitals
shall meet the requirements for health care occupancies contained in the 1967,
1973, 1981, 1985, 1991, 1997, 2000, or 2003 editions of the National Fire
Protection Association 101, Life Safety Code, (NFPA 101), the Hospital
Licensing Standards/Rules (1969, 1985, or 1998 editions as amended), and the
hospital licensing rules under which the buildings or sections of buildings
were constructed. All documents published by NFPA as referenced in this section
may be obtained by writing or calling the NFPA at the following address or
telephone number: National Fire Protection Association, 1 Batterymarch Park,
P.O. Box 9101, Quincy, MA 02269-9101 or (800) 344-3555.
(B) Existing hospitals or portions of
existing hospitals constructed prior to the adoption of any of the editions of
NFPA 101, the Hospital Licensing Standards, and the hospital licensing rules
listed in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, shall comply with this section
and Chapter 19, NFPA 101, 2003 edition.
(C) Compliance with the requirements of
Chapter 4 of the National Fire Protection Association 101A, Alternative
Approaches to Life Safety, 2001 edition, (relating to Fire Safety Evaluation
System for Health Care Occupancies) will be acceptable in lieu of complying
with the requirements of Chapter 19, NFPA 101, 2003 edition.
(2) Remodeling of existing
facilities. All requirements listed in this chapter relating to new
construction are applicable to renovations, additions and alterations unless
stated otherwise.
(A) Alteration or
installation of new equipment. Any alteration or any installation of new
equipment shall be accomplished as nearly as practicable with the requirements
for new construction, except that when existing conditions make changes
impractical to accomplish, minor deviations from functional requirements may be
permitted if the intent of the requirements is met and if the care and safety
of patients will not be jeopardized.
(B) Installation, alteration, or extension
approval. No new system of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection,
or piped medical gas system may be installed or any such existing system may be
replaced, materially altered or extended in an existing building licensed as a
hospital, until complete plans and specifications for the replacement,
installation, alteration, or extension have been submitted to the department,
reviewed and approved in accordance with §
133.167
of this title (relating to Preparation, Submittal, Review and Approval of
Plans, and Retention of Records).
(C) Minor remodeling or alterations. All
remodeling or alterations which do not involve alterations to load bearing
members or partitions, change functional operation, affect fire safety (e.g.
modifications to the fire, smoke, and corridor walls), add or subtract beds or
services for which the hospital is licensed, and do not involve changes listed
in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, shall be submitted for approval without
submitting contract documents. Such approval shall be requested in writing with
a brief description of the proposed changes in accordance with §
133.167(f)(3)
of this title.
(D) Major remodeling
or alterations. Plans shall be submitted in accordance with §
133.167
of this title for all major remodeling or alterations. All remodeling or
alterations which involve alterations to load bearing members or partitions,
change functional operation, affect fire safety (e.g. modifications to the
fire, smoke, and corridor walls), or add beds or services over those for which
the hospital is licensed are considered as major remodeling and
alterations.
(E) Phasing of
construction in existing facilities.
(i)
Projects involving alterations of and additions to existing buildings shall be
programmed and phased so that on-site construction will minimize disruptions of
existing functions.
(ii) Access,
exit access, and fire protection shall be maintained so that the safety of the
occupants will not be jeopardized during construction.
(iii) A noncombustible or limited combustible
dust and vapor barrier shall be provided to separate areas undergoing
demolition and construction from occupied areas. When a fire retardant plastic
material is used for temporary daily usage, it shall be removed at the end of
each day.
(iv) The air inside the
construction area shall be protected by mechanical filtration that recirculates
inside the space or is exhausted directly to the exterior.
(v) The area shall be properly ventilated and
maintained. The area under construction shall have a negative air pressure
differential to the adjoining areas and shall continue to operate as long as
construction dust and odors are present.
(vi) Temporary sound barriers shall be
provided where intense prolonged construction noises will disturb patients or
staff in the occupied portions of the building.
(F) Nonconforming conditions. When doing
renovation work, if it is found to be infeasible to correct all of the
nonconforming conditions in the existing hospital in accordance with these
rules, a conditional approval may be granted by the department if the operation
of the hospital, necessary access by the handicapped, and safety of the
patients are not jeopardized by the nonconforming condition.
(b) Previously licensed hospitals. Buildings which have been licensed previously as hospitals but have been vacated or used for purposes other than as hospitals and which are not in compliance with the 1967, 1973, 1981, 1985, 1991, 1997, 2000, or 2003 editions of the NFPA 101, the Hospital Licensing Standards/Rules (1969, 1985, or 1998 editions as amended), and hospital licensing rules under which the building or sections of buildings were constructed shall comply with the requirements of § 133.162 of this title (relating to New Construction Requirements), § 133.163 of this title (relating to Spatial Requirements for New Construction), § 133.165 of this title (relating to Building with Multiple Occupancies), § 133.167 of this title, and § 133.168 of this title (relating to Construction, Inspections, and Approval of Project).
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Texas may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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