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Ohio Laws and Rules
Each operator shall:
(A) Provide, maintain, and keep current a written disaster preparedness plan to be followed in case of emergency or disaster. A copy of the plan shall be readily available at all times within the nursing home. The nursing home shall ensure that each staff member, consultant and volunteer is trained and periodically updated about the home’s disaster preparedness plan and understands their role in the event of fire or other disaster or emergency. The plan shall include the following:
(1) Procedures for evacuating all individuals in the nursing home, including:
(a) Provisions for evacuating residents with physical or cognitive impairments;
(b) Provisions for transporting all of the residents of the nursing home to a predetermined appropriate facility or facilities that will accommodate all the residents in the event a disaster requires long-term evacuation of the nursing home; and
(c) A written transfer agreement, renewed biannually, with the appropriate facility or facilities for accommodating all of the residents of the nursing home in case of a disaster requiring evacuation of the nursing home;
(2) Procedures for locating missing residents;
(3) Procedures for ensuring the health and safety of residents during severe weather situations, such as tornadoes and floods, and designation of tornado shelter areas in the home; and
(4) Procedures, as appropriate, for ensuring the health and safety of residents in nursing homes located in close proximity to areas known to have specific disaster potential, such as airports, chemical processing plants, and railroad tracks.
(B) Conduct the following drills, unless the state fire marshal allows a home to vary from this requirement and the nursing home has written documentation to this effect from the state fire marshal:
(1) Twelve fire exit drills every year, at least every three months on each shift to familiarize nursing home personnel with signals and emergency action required under varied conditions. Fire exit drills shall include the transmission of a fire alarm signal and simulation of emergency fire conditions except that the movement of infirm and bedridden residents to safe areas or to the exterior of the structure is not required. Drills conducted between nine P.M. and six A.M. may use a coded announcement instead of an audible alarm; and
(2) At least two disaster preparedness drills per year, one of which shall be a tornado drill which shall occur during the months of March through July.
(C) Keep a written record and evaluation of each conducted drill and practice which shall include the date, time, employee attendance, effectiveness of the plan, and training format used. This record shall be on file in the nursing home for three years.
(D) Provide and post in a conspicuous place in each section and on each floor of the nursing home a floor plan designating room use, locations of alarm sending stations, fire extinguishers, fire hoses, exits and flow of resident evacuation.
(E) Require at least one responsible employee to attend a fire safety course approved by the state fire marshal’s office. The operator shall require all staff members to be periodically instructed in fire control and evacuation and disaster procedures and kept informed of their duties under the evacuation plan.
(F) Conduct at least monthly a fire safety inspection which shall be recorded on forms provided by the department and kept on file in the nursing home for three years.
R.C. 119.032 review dates: 05/19/2006 and 05/01/2011
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 3721.04
Rule Amplifies: 3721.01 to 3721.19
Prior Effective Dates: 10/20/2001