Washington Administrative Code
Title 246 - Health, Department of
FACILITY STANDARDS AND LICENSING
Chapter 246-359 - Temporary worker housing construction standard
Section 246-359-650 - Tents
Universal Citation: WA Admin Code 246-359-650
Current through Register Vol. 24-24, December 15, 2024
(1) Each tent must be constructed to sleep no more than fifteen occupants.
(2) Tents must provide protection from the elements, insects, and animals.
(3)Structural stability and floors.
(a)Tents and their supporting framework must
be adequately braced and anchored to prevent weather related collapse. The
operator shall provide documentation of the structural stability to the
department of health, if requested.
(b)Floors must be smooth, sloped from a
raised center towards the lower outer edges. Floors must be without breaks or
holes to provide a hard, stable walking surface. Nonridged flooring supported
by grass, dirt, soil, gravel or other uneven surface is not acceptable. Floors
that are constructed of wood or concrete must comply with the building code,
chapter 19.27 RCW and this chapter.
(c) Floor systems must be designed to prevent
the entrance of snakes, rodents, and other nuisances.
(4)Flame-retardant treatments.
(a)The sidewalls, drops, and tops of tents
shall be composed of flame-resistant material or treated with a flame retardant
in an approved manner.
(b)Floor
coverings, which are integral to the tent, and the bunting shall be composed of
flame-resistant material or treated with a flame retardant in an approved
manner and in accordance with Uniform Building Code, Standard 31.1.
(c)All tents must have a permanently affixed
label bearing the following information:
(i)
Identification of tent size and fabric or material type;
(ii) For flame-resistant materials, the
necessary information to determine compliance with this section and National
Fire Protection Association Standard 701, Standard Methods of Fire Tests for
Flame-resistant Textiles and Films;
(iii) For flame-retardant materials, the date
that the tent was last treated with an approved flame-retardant;
(iv) The trade name and type of
flame-retardant used in the flame-retardant treatment; and
(v) The name of the person and firm that
applied the flame-retardant.
(5)Means of egress.
(a)Tents must have a primary entrance door.
At least one door must lead to the outside of the tent. The door must not be
obstructed in any manner and must remain free of any material or matter where
its presence would obstruct or render the exit hazardous.
(b)If food-handling facilities are provided
in tents, or the tent occupancy capacity is for ten or more occupants, a window
allowing egress must be located opposite the door and must have a means to open
the window or provide an easily openable space, for example, a zipper which
opens downward to the floor, must be provided.
(6)Floor area. The operator must:
(a) If food-handling facilities are provided
in the tent, provide an additional twenty square feet of floor space;
(b) Provide at least fifty square feet of
floor space for each occupant in rooms used for sleeping purposes.
(7)Ceiling height.
(a)A ceiling height of at least seven feet is
required in fifty percent of the total floor area.
(b) No portion of the tent measuring less
than six feet from the flooring to the ceiling will be included in any
computation of the floor area.
(8)Windows and ventilation.
(a) The operator shall provide a window area
equal to one-tenth of the total floor area in each habitable room which opens
at least halfway or more directly to the outside for cross-ventilation and has
a minimum of sixteen-mesh screens on all exterior openings.
(b) The windows must have weather-resistant
flaps, which will cover the window area and a means of fastening the flaps to
provide protection from the elements and allow privacy for the
occupants.
(9) Electrical and lighting. The operator shall ensure that:
(a) Electricity is supplied to all tents used
as habitable room.
(b) All
electrical wiring, fixtures, and electrical equipment must comply with the
electrical standards of the department of labor and industries regulations,
chapter 19.28 RCW, and local ordinances, and be maintained in a safe
condition.
(c)Each tent used as
habitable room has at least one ceiling-type light fixture and at least one
separate floor-type or wall-type convenience outlet.
(d)If cooking is provided in the tent,
appropriate wiring and electrical equipment is provided.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Washington 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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