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Ohio Laws and Rules
(A) Each community alternative home shall provide a living area where residents may engage in social, recreational, and leisure activities on a daily basis. The living area shall be well-lighted and adequately heated and ventilated. It shall contain sufficient comfortable, safe, and functional furniture to ensure a seating place for at least fifty per cent of the total number of residents. The living area shall not be used as a bedroom by anyone.
(B) To foster a home-like environment, residents shall be permitted to bring personal items to the home, so long as the personal items do not create a safety hazard or infringe upon the rights of other residents.
(C) The home shall provide a dining area where meals are served to residents. The dining area, table, and seating places shall be of sufficient size and number to allow at least fifty per cent of all residents to eat comfortably together at one time. All furniture shall be comfortable, safe, and functional.
(D) Each home shall provide bedroom space for each resident which meets all of the following criteria:
(1) A single-occupancy room shall have a minimum of eighty square feet and a multiple-occupancy room shall have a minimum of sixty square feet per occupant of wall-to-wall floor space, exclusive of closets and adjoining bathrooms. No bedroom shall provide sleeping space for more than three residents;
(2) There shall be at least three feet between beds. No furniture shall block any doorway;
(3) Bedrooms shall be separated from halls, corridors, and other rooms by permanent floor-to-ceiling walls. Temporary partitions shall not be used to separate resident bedrooms. All bedrooms shall have doors and shall be well-lighted and dry;
(4) A bedroom shall not be used as a passageway to other rooms and shall not be more than fifty per cent below average grade level;
(5) When assigning bedrooms, the home shall take into account the mobility of residents and their ability to evacuate the home readily and easily in case of emergency and shall ensure compliance with paragraph (A)(6) of rule 3701-16-10 of the Administrative Code;
(6) The home shall provide a bed for each resident consisting of springs and a clean, comfortable flame resistant mattress or a clean, comfortable mattress with a flame resistant mattress cover. The bed shall be sturdy, safe, and in good condition. Rollaway beds, cots, double-deck beds, stacked bunk beds, hide-a-bed couches, and studio couches shall not be provided as beds for residents by the home. Residents may bring their own beds and furnishings of any type they choose, if the beds and furnishings are safe, sturdy, and functional and there is sufficient space in the home. Residents who smoke shall provide documentation that the mattress they bring to the home is flame resistant;
(7) The home shall provide bed linen for each resident, which shall include at least two sheets, a pillow and pillow case, a bedspread, and one blanket. Additional blankets and pillows shall be provided to each resident upon request. A minimum of two sets of linen shall be available for each bed at all times. Bed linen shall be changed at least weekly and more often if soiled. Residents may provide and maintain their own bed linen;
(8) The home shall provide each resident with closet or wardrobe space in his or her bedroom for storage of his or her personal clothing and other items. Each resident also shall have adequate bureau, dresser, or equivalent space, and a mirror appropriate for grooming; and
(9) Each resident bedroom shall have a minimum of one operable window with a screen and a curtain, shade or other appropriate covering to assure privacy.
(10) The home shall develop policies and procedures regarding the permissibility of residents sharing a bedroom with a spouse, or one who stands in place of a spouse, if both are residents of the home.
(E) As used in this paragraph, “bathroom” means a room or rooms including at least one toilet, one shower or bathtub, and one sink. The home shall provide at least one bathroom for each five individuals living in the home. Individuals living in the home includes both residents and other individuals. The bathroom facilities shall meet the following requirements:
(1) The bathroom facilities shall be kept clean, sanitary, and in good repair and shall be accessible to residents at all times;
(2) There shall be nonskid surfacing and handrails or grab bars in each bathtub or shower for the safety of the residents;
(3) There shall be a sufficient supply of soap and toilet paper in each bathroom to meet the needs of the residents;
(4) Clean bath towels and washcloths shall be provided to each resident. The towels and washcloths shall be changed at least twice weekly and more often if soiled; and
(5) Each bathtub, shower, and sink shall have hot and cold running water. The hot water shall have a temperature of at least one hundred five degrees Fahrenheit but no more than one hundred twenty degrees Fahrenheit at the point of use.
Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prohibit residents from providing and maintaining their own bath and shower supplies.
(F) Each home shall provide at least one non-pay telephone to which residents shall have reasonable access at all times for making local calls. The telephone shall be provided in a location or manner which affords privacy. The home also shall arrange for a method by which residents can make long-distance calls from the home at the residents’ expense.
(G) Each home shall assure a clean, healthy environment by doing at least the following:
(1) Eliminating any existing insects and rodents and taking effective measures to prevent the presence of insects and rodents in and around the home;
(2) Avoiding temperature extremes within the home which may be a health hazard to the resident;
(3) Providing durable garbage and refuse receptacles to accommodate wastes. Outdoor garbage and refuse receptacles shall be kept covered with tight-fitting lids at all times;
(4) Cleaning toilets, bathrooms and other obvious sources of odors promptly and thoroughly; and
(5) Establishing and implementing housekeeping and maintenance procedures to assure a clean, safe, sanitary environment and a home-like appearance to the home.
(H) Each home shall develop and implement appropriate procedures to prevent and control the development and transmission of infections and disease which, at minimum, shall provide for the following:
(1) Written policies and procedures requiring the strict adherence to established infection control practices termed universal precautions by the “Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” Standard operating procedures for all activities that pose a risk for exposure to blood or body fluids shall be included in such policies and procedures. Any policy or procedure established shall be in accordance with all federal and state mandates or guidelines. No individual providing personal assistance, hands-on assistance with activities of daily living, or skilled nursing care for a resident in the home shall fail to adhere to the home’s universal precaution policies and procedures;
(2) If an individual sustains a significant exposure to another’s blood or body fluids, then the individual shall receive follow-up evaluation in accordance with the recommendations from the U.S. public health service. For purposes of this rule, “significant exposure” means a percutaneous or mucous membrane exposure of an individual to the body fluid to which universal precautions apply. Universal precautions apply to blood, semen, vaginal secretions, or spinal, synovial, pleural, peritoneal, pericardial or amniotic fluids. Universal precautions do not apply to feces, nasal secretions, sputum, sweat, tears, urine or vomitus, unless they contain visible blood;
(3) Individuals providing personal assistance or hands-on assistance with activities of daily living that may result in contact with blood or other body fluids shall wear appropriate personal protective equipment in accordance with this paragraph and the policies and procedures established under paragraph (H)(1) of this rule. Personal protective equipment includes, at a minimum, vinyl or latex gloves. Personal protective equipment may also include gowns, masks and eyewear, as appropriate. Personal protective equipment shall be properly disposed of immediately following the completion of personal assistance or assistance with activities of daily living for a resident, and before contact with another resident. Individuals providing personal assistance or hands-on assistance with activities of daily living shall wash their hands before and after providing the service even if gloves are used. Appropriate personal protective equipment may be utilized during contact with body fluids to which universal precautions do not apply;
(4) Individuals working in the home shall wash their hands before beginning work and upon completing work, before and after eating, after using the bathroom, after covering their mouth when sneezing and coughing, before and after providing personal assistance or hands-on assistance with activities of daily living for a resident when there has been physical contact, after contact with contaminated materials, before handling food, and at other appropriate times; and
(5) If the home provides any laundering services, the home shall keep clean and soiled linen separate. Soiled laundry shall be handled as little as possible. Laundry that is wet or soiled with body substances shall be placed in moisture-resistant bags which are secured or tied to prevent spillage. Laundry staff shall wear moisture-resistant gloves, suitable for sorting and handling soiled laundry, and a gown or plastic apron if soiling of staff members’ clothing is likely. The home shall use laundry cycles according to the washer and detergent manufacturers’ recommendations. Protective clothing shall be removed before handling clean laundry.
(I) Each home shall meet the following safety and maintenance requirements:
(1) The home shall provide sturdy and securely fastened handrails for exterior and interior stairways;
(2) The home shall provide railings on the open sides of any porch and on the open sides of interior and exterior stairways;
(3) The home shall keep floors in good repair. Any rugs used in the home shall be securely fastened to the floor, or shall have non-skid padding and otherwise shall be used in a manner that does not create a safety hazard;
(4) The home shall keep corridors, entrances, exits, and outside pathways free of obstacles and in good repair;
(5) The home shall keep sidewalks, fire escape routes, and entrances free of ice and snow;
(6) The home shall assure that common areas and exits are well-lighted;
(7) The home shall store poisonous and hazardous materials in clearly labeled containers and away from foodstuffs and medication;
(8) Resident bedroom locks that are used by the home shall meet both of the following requirements:
(a) All locks to residents’ bedroom doors shall be capable of being opened from the inside by the resident without the use of a key, such as by pushing a panic bar, releasing a deadbolt, or using similar means. The locks also shall be capable of being opened by a key from the outside. The home shall provide each resident with a key to his or her bedroom if it has a lock; and
(b) The home shall have duplicate keys or a master key available and accessible to the staff members on duty at all times for use in cases of emergency;
(9) If the home has a basement, it shall install and maintain a lock on the basement door which can be opened easily from the upstairs, such as a safety chain or deadbolt. The home shall determine when the basement door must be locked to prevent resident accidents. In making this determination, the home shall take into consideration all residents’ conditions and habits and the residents’ need to have access to the basement;
(10) The home shall maintain first-aid supplies including latex or vinyl gloves in a closed but unlocked container which is easily accessible to the residence manager, caregivers, and residents; and
(11) The home shall prominently display the telephone numbers of the fire and police departments and other emergency numbers at each telephone in the home. The home shall not require residents or staff members to obtain approval from the residence manager or operator prior to telephoning for assistance in the event of an emergency.
R.C. 119.032 review dates: 01/20/2004 and 01/15/2009
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 3724.05(D), (E)
Rule Amplifies: 3724.05(E), 3724.07
Prior Effective Dates: 11/27/94, 11/27/88 (emer.)