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Keyes Q&A: Smoke compartments, soiled utility rooms, smoke detectors

Healthcare Life Safety Compliance, September 2, 2019

This is an excerpt from a member only article. To read the article in its entirety, please login or subscribe to Healthcare Life Safety Compliance.

Editor’s note: Each month, Brad Keyes, CHSP, owner of Keyes Life Safety Compliance, answers your questions about life safety compliance. Our editorial advisory board also reviews the Q&A column. Follow Keyes’ blog on life safety at www.keyeslifesafety.com for up to date information. 

Smoke compartments

Q: Section 19.3.7 of the 2012 Life Safety Code® (LSC) discusses smoke compartments in facilities that have greater than 30 sleeping beds per floor or building. If your facility is under 30 beds but greater than 22,500 square feet, are smoke compartments required? Or can they be removed on the life safety plans?

A: No, they cannot be removed, because section 4.6.12.2 of the 2012 LSC says existing life safety features shall not be removed or reduced where such feature is a requirement for new construction. New construction requires it, so you must maintain it for the life of the building.

ASC soiled utility room

Q: How does one handle a “soiled utility” room in an ambulatory surgery center (ASC)? If it is a small storage room without large volumes of flammable liquids but perhaps containing soiled linens, are there any special fire protection features which need to be included?

This is an excerpt from a member only article. To read the article in its entirety, please login or subscribe to Healthcare Life Safety Compliance.

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