OAR 411-054-0300: Assisted Living Facility Building Requirements

An assisted living facility (ALF), as defined by OAR 411-054-0005, shall be built to the following requirements and have individual living units that have a lockable door, private bathroom, and kitchenette. (1) Applicability for 411-054-0300 shall apply to the following: (a) An ALF not licensed prior to 01/15/2015; or (b) A major alteration to an ALF for which plans were not submitted to Facilities, Planning, and Safety prior to 01/15/2015; (c) OAR 411-054-0300 shall apply only to the major alteration and shall not apply to any other area of the facility. (2) BUILDING CODES. Each ALF must meet the requirements of the facility standards set forth in these rules and with the building codes in effect at the time of original licensure. (a) Subsequent modifications made to an ALF after original licensure, including, but not limited to, demolition, remodeling, construction, maintenance, repair, or replacement must comply with all applicable state and local building, electrical, plumbing, and zoning codes in place at the time of the modification. (b) If a change in use and building code occupancy classification occurs, license approval shall be contingent on meeting the requirements of the building codes. (c) An ALF must comply with FPS program requirements for submission of building drawings and specifications as described in OAR 333-675-0000 through 333-675-0050. (3) GENERAL BUILDING EXTERIOR. (a) All exterior pathways and accesses to the ALF’s common-use areas, entrance, and exit ways must be made of hard, smooth material, be accessible, and maintained in good repair. (b) An ALF must take measures to prevent the entry of rodents, flies, mosquitoes, and other insects. There must be locked storage for all poisons, chemicals, rodenticides, and other toxic materials. All materials must be properly labeled. (c) ALF grounds must be kept orderly and free of litter and refuse. Garbage must be stored in covered refuse containers. (d) As described in OAR chapter 411, division 057, memory care communities licensed as an ALF must be located on the ground floor. (e) An ALF must provide storage for all maintenance equipment, including yard maintenance tools, if not provided by third party contract. (f) An ALF must provide an accessible outdoor recreation area. The outdoor recreation area must be available to all residents. Lighting must be equal to a minimum of five foot candles. Memory care communities must provide residents with direct access to a secure outdoor recreation area as described in OAR chapter 411, division 57. (g) Outdoor perimeter fencing may not be secured to prevent exit unless the ALF has received written approval from the Department or the ALF is in compliance with OAR chapter 411, division 57 (Memory Care Communities) or OAR 309-032-1500 through 309-032-1565(Enhanced Care Services). (h) An ALF must have an entry and exit drive to and from the main building entrance that allows for a vehicle to pick up and drop off residents and mail deliveries without the need for vehicles to back up. (4) GENERAL BUILDING INTERIOR. The design of an ALF must emphasize a residential appearance while retaining the features required to support special resident needs as outlined in this rule. (a) RECEPTION AREA. A reception area must be visible and accessible to residents and visitors when entering the doors of the main entrance to the ALF. (b) CORRIDORS. Resident-use areas and units must be connected through temperature controlled common corridors. (A) Resident-use corridors exceeding 20 feet in length to an exit or common-use area, must have a minimum width of 72 inches. (B) Corridors shall not exceed 150 feet in length from any resident unit to a seating or other common-use area. (C) Handrails must be installed at one or both sides of resident-use corridors. (c) FLOORS. (A) Hard surface floors and base must be free from cracks and breaks. (B) Carpeting and other floor materials must be constructed and installed to minimize resistance for passage of wheelchairs and other ambulation aids. (C) Thresholds and floor junctures must be maintained to allow for the passage of wheelchairs and to prevent a tripping hazard. (d) INTERIOR DOORS. Lever-type door handles must be provided on all doors used by residents. (e) EXIT DOORS. Exit doors may not include locks that delay evacuation except as specified by building codes. Such locks may not be installed except with written approval of the Department. (A) Exit doors may not include locks that prevent evacuation. (B) If an electronic code must be entered to use an exit door that code must be clearly posted for residents, visitors, and staff use. (f) WALLS AND CEILINGS. Walls and ceilings must be cleanable in kitchen, laundry, and bathing areas. Kitchen walls must be finished smooth per OAR 333-150-0000 (Food Sanitation Rules). (g) ELEVATORS. An ALF with residents on more than one floor must provide at least one elevator that meets Oregon Elevator Specialty Code (OESC) requirements. (h) The interior of the facility must be free from unpleasant odors. (i) All interior and exterior materials and surfaces (e.g. floors, walls, roofs, ceilings, windows, and furniture) and all equipment necessary for the health, safety, and comfort of the resident must be kept clean and in good repair. (5) RESIDENT UNITS. All resident units must be accessible per building codes. These apartments must have a lockable entry door with lever type handle, a private bathroom, and kitchenette facilities. Adaptable units are not acceptable. (a) UNIT DIMENSIONS. New construction units must have a minimum of 220 net square feet, not including the bathroom. Units in pre-existing structures being remodeled must have a minimum of 160 square feet, not including the bathroom. (b) RESIDENT STORAGE SPACE. (A) Each unit must provide usable space totaling at least 100 cubic feet for resident clothing and belongings and include one clothes closet with a minimum of four linear feet of hanging space. (B) The rod must be adjustable for reach ranges per building codes. In calculating useable space, closet height may not exceed eight feet and a depth of two feet. (C) Kitchen cabinets must not be included when measuring storage space. (D) A lockable storage space (e.g., drawer, cabinet, or closet) must be provided for the safekeeping of a resident’s small valuable items and funds. Both the administrator and resident may have keys. (c) WINDOWS. (A) Each resident's living room and bedroom must have an exterior window that has an area at least one-tenth of the floor area of the room. (B) Unit windows must be equipped with curtains or blinds for privacy and control of sunlight. (C) Operable windows must be designed to prevent accidental falls when sill heights are lower than 36 inches and above the first floor. (d) DOORS. Each unit must have an entry door that does not swing into the exit corridor. (A) A locking device must be included that is released with action of the inside lever. Locks for the entry door must be individually keyed, master keyed, and a key supplied to the resident. (B) The unit exit door must open to an indoor, temperature controlled, common-use area or common corridor. (e) BATHROOM. The unit bathroom must be a separate room with a toilet, sink, a roll-in curbless shower, towel bar, toilet paper holder, mirror, and storage for toiletry items. (A) The door to the bathroom must open outward or slide into the wall. (B) Showers must have a slip-resistant floor surface in front of roll-in showers, a hand-held showerhead, cleanable shower curtains, and appropriate grab bar. (f) KITCHENS OR KITCHENETTES. Each unit must have a kitchen area equipped with the following: (A) A sink, refrigerator, and cooking appliance that may be removed or disconnected. A microwave is considered a cooking appliance. (B) Adequate space for food preparation. (C) Storage space for utensils and supplies. (D) Counter heights may not be higher than 34 inches. (6) COMMON-USE AREAS. (a) PUBLIC RESTROOMS. There must be accessible public restrooms for visitor, staff, and resident-use, convenient to dining and recreation areas. (A) The public restroom must contain a toilet, sink, waste container, and a hand drying means that cannot be reused. (B) There must be a manually operated emergency call system in the public restrooms. (b) DINING AREA. The building must have a dining area with the capacity to seat 100 percent of the residents. The dining area must provide 22 square feet per resident for seating, exclusive of service carts and other equipment or items that take up space in the dining area. This rule is exclusive of any separate private dining areas. (c) SOCIAL AND RECREATION AREAS. An ALF must include lunge and activity areas for social and recreational-use totaling a minimum of 15 square feet per resident. (d) COOKING STOVE. If a stove is provided in the activities or common-use area, and is available for resident-use, a keyed, remote switch, or other safety device must be provided to ensure staff control. (e) RESIDENT LAUNDRY FACILITIES. Laundry facilities must be operable and at no additional cost to the resident. Resident laundry facilities must have at least one washer and dryer. (f) MAILBOX. Each resident or unit must be provided a mailbox that meets US Postal Service requirements. (7) SUPPORT SERVICE AREAS. (a) MEDICATION STORAGE. An ALF must provide a secure space for medication storage, with access to a sink and cold storage in the same area. Space for necessary medical supplies and equipment must be provided. (b) HOUSEKEEPING AND SANITATION. (A) An ALF must have a secured janitor closet for storing supplies and equipment, with a floor or service sink. (B) The wall base shall be continuous and coved with the floor, tightly sealed to the wall, and constructed without voids that can harbor insects or moisture. (c) LAUNDRY FACILITIES. Laundry facilities may be located to allow for both resident and staff use when a time schedule for resident-use is provided and equipment is of residential type. (A) If the primary laundry facility is not suitable for resident-use, an ALF must provide separate resident laundry facilities. (B) Laundry facilities must be separate from food preparation and other resident-use areas. (C) On-site laundry facilities, used by staff for facility and resident laundry, must have capacity for locked storage of chemicals and equipment. (D) An ALF must provide covered or enclosed clean linen storage that may be on shelves or carts. Clean linens may be stored in closets outside the laundry area. (E) The wall base of the laundry facilities must be continuous and coved with the floor, tightly sealed to the wall and constructed without voids that may harbor insects or moisture. (d) SOILED LINEN PROCESSING. For the purpose of this rule, "soiled linens and soiled clothing," means linens or clothing contaminated by an individual’s bodily fluids (for example, urine, feces, and blood). (A) There must be a separate area with closed containers that ensure the separate storage and handling of soiled linens and soiled clothing. There must be space and equipment to handle soiled linen and soiled clothing processing needs that is separate from regular linen and clothing. (B) Arrangement must provide a one-way flow of soiled linens and soiled clothing from the soiled area to the clean area and preclude potential for contamination of clean linens and clothing. (C) The soiled linen area must include a flushing rim clinical sink with a handheld rinsing device and a hand wash sink or lavatory. (D) When washing soiled linens and soiled clothing, washers must have a minimum rinse temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit unless a chemical disinfectant is used. (E) Personnel handling soiled laundry must be provided with waterproof gloves. (F) Covered or enclosed clean linen storage must be provided and may be on shelves or carts. Clean linens may be stored in closets outside the laundry area. (G) The wall base of the laundry facilities must be continuous and coved with the floor, tightly sealed to the wall and constructed without voids that may harbor insects or moisture. (e) KITCHEN AND FOOD STORAGE. An ALF must comply with OAR 333-150-0000 (Food Sanitation Rules), for food handling and primary meal preparation areas. Each ALF must have: (A) Dry storage space, not subject to freezing, for a minimum one-week supply of staple foods. (B) Refrigeration and freezer space at the proper temperature to store a minimum two days' supply of perishable foods. (C) Storage for all dishware, utensils, and cooking utensils used by residents must meet OAR 333-150-0000 (Food Sanitation Rules). (D) Storage for a mop, other cleaning tools, and supplies used for dietary areas. Such tools must be separate from those used in toilet rooms, resident rooms, and other support areas. (E) A separate janitor closet or alcove with a floor or service sink and storage for cleaning tools and supplies. (F) Storage in the food preparation area for garbage must be enclosed and separate from food storage. (G) Storage must be available for cookbooks, diet planning information, and records. (H) All kitchen and food storage areas must have a wall base that is continuous and coved with the floor, tightly sealed to the wall, and constructed without voids that can harbor insects or moisture. (8) HEATING AND VENTILATION SYSTEMS. An ALF must have heating and ventilation systems that comply with the building codes in effect at the time of facility construction. (a) TEMPERATURE. For all areas occupied by residents, design temperature for construction must be 75 degrees Fahrenheit. (A) An ALF must provide heating systems capable of maintaining 70 degrees Fahrenheit in resident areas. Required minimum temperatures are no less than 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 60 degrees Fahrenheit during sleeping hours. (B) During times of extreme summer heat, fans must be made available when air conditioning is not provided. (C) Each unit must have individual thermostatic heating controls. (b) EXHAUST SYSTEMS. All toilet and shower rooms must be equipped with a mechanical exhaust fan or central exhaust system that discharges to the outside. (c) WALL HEATERS. Covers, grates, or screens of wall heaters and associated heating elements may not exceed 120 degrees Fahrenheit when they are installed in locations that are subject to incidental contact by individuals or with combustible material. Effective 01/15/2015 wall heaters are not acceptable in new construction or remodeling. (d) VENTILATION. Ventilation in each unit must occur via an open window to the outside, or with a mechanical venting system capable of providing two air changes per hour with one-fifth of the air supply taken from the outside. (9) PLUMBING SYSTEMS. Plumbing systems must conform to the building codes in effect at the time of facility construction. (a) Hot water temperature in residents' units must be maintained within a range of 110 - 120 degrees Fahrenheit. (b) Hot water temperatures serving dietary areas must meet OAR 333-150-0000 (Food Sanitation Rules). (c) An outside area drain and hot and cold water hose bibs must be provided for sanitizing laundry carts, food carts, and garbage cans. (10) ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS. (a) WIRING SYSTEMS. All wiring systems must meet the building codes in effect at the date of installation and devices shall be maintained and in good repair. (b) The use of extension cords and other special taps is not allowed. (c) LIGHTING. Each unit must have general illumination in the bath, kitchen, living space, and sleeping area. The general lighting intensity in the unit for way finding must be at least 20-foot candles measured from the floor. (A) Lighting in the unit bathroom must be at least 50-foot candles measured from the height of the hand-wash basin and three feet above the shower floor with the curtain open. (B) Task lighting at the unit food preparation or cooking area must be at least 50-foot candles measured from counter height. (C) Corridor lighting must equal a minimum of 20-foot candles measured from the floor. (D) Table height lighting in the dining room must equal a minimum of 25-foot candles without light from windows. (11) CALL SYSTEM. An ALF must provide a call system that connects resident units to the care staff center or staff pagers. Wireless call systems are allowed. (a) A manually operated emergency call system must be provided at each resident bathroom, central bathing rooms, and public-use restrooms. (b) EXIT DOOR ALARMS. Exit door alarms or other acceptable systems must be provided for security purposes and to alert staff when residents exit the ALF. The door alarm system may be integrated with the call system. (c) Security devices intended to alert staff of an individual resident’s potential elopement may include, but not be limited to, electronic pendants, bracelets, pins. (12) TELEPHONES. (a) RESIDENT PHONES. Each unit must have at least one telephone jack to allow for individual phone service. (b) PUBLIC TELEPHONE. There must be an accessible local access public telephone in a private area that allows a resident or another individual to conduct a private conversation. (13) TELEVISION ANTENNA OR CABLE SYSTEM. An ALF must provide a television antenna or cable system with an outlet in each resident unit.