Healthcare Occupancies

CHAPTER 8

SECTION 13

Healthcare Occupancies
Revised by

Daniel J. O’Connor

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n today’s business environment, healthcare, medical care, and personal care services have evolved such that there is a wide variety of facilities and business operations delivering healthcare to the general population. As a result, there are varying levels of risk among the facilities that offer healthcare and medical services. Within NFPA 101®, Life Safety Code®, there are several types of occupancies where people may receive some form of healthcare, medical or personal care service. These include Healthcare occupancies Ambulatory healthcare occupancies Residential board and care occupancies Business occupancies

The focus of this chapter is on those facilities that pose greater risks due to the impairment of occupants and/or lack of ambulatory capabilities of the occupants. Specifically, this chapter addresses healthcare occupancies and ambulatory healthcare occupancies; however, some brief discussion of residential board and care, and business occupancies is warranted, as there are important distinctions that should be understood and considered when applying the requirements of NFPA 101. Healthcare facilities are used for the treatment or care of persons suffering from physical or mental illness, disease, or infirmity, and for the care of infants, convalescents, or aged persons. These facilities provide sleeping accommodations for occupants who may be incapable of self-preservation because of physical or mental disability or age. Some buildings that house healthcare occupants have security measures that limit freedom of movement. In recent years, facilities—sometimes called ambulatory healthcare facilities—have been developed to provide medical treatment on an outpatient basis. Although patients might be placed under general anesthesia or other treatment that would render them incapable of self-preservation, they are not housed overnight. Occupants exhibit some

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