Mich. Admin. Code R. 400.10501 - Definitions

Rule 501. As used in this part:

(a) "Ambulatory," with respect to a resident, means being physically and mentally capable of traversing a path to safety without the aid of another person. A path to safety includes the ascent and descent of any stairs or approved means of egress.

(b) "Approved" means acceptable to the department and the fire inspecting authority and in accordance with these rules. The department makes the final approval based on recommendations from the fire inspecting authority.

(c) "Basement" means the habitable portion of a building which is below grade, but which is so located that the vertical distance from the grade to the floor is not more than the vertical distance from the grade to the ceiling. Where the ceiling of such portion of a building is located 5 feet or more above grade for more than 25% of the perimeter measurement of the building or part of the building affected, the building shall be classed as a first story.

(d) "Combustible" means those materials which can ignite and burn.

(e) "Conversion" or "converted" means any of the following:

(i) A change, after the effective date of these rules, in the use of a facility or portion thereof from some previous use to that of a licensed or approved institution.

(ii) An increase in capacity from a residential group home to a small facility.

(iii) An increase in capacity from a small facility to a large facility.

(iv) A change to a secure facility.

(v) After the effective date of these rules, a change from caring for ambulatory residents only to caring for 1 or more nonambulatory or wheelchair-confined residents. A converted facility shall comply with the provisions of these rules for fire safety for converted facilities.

(f) "Electric lock" means an electric door lock system that is operated from a remote control unit. The system shall be fail-safe and all locks shall automatically unlock in the event of electrical failure. The system shall be approved by a nationally recognized independent testing laboratory.

(g) "Escape window," in a newly converted or remodeled facility, means an approved side-hinged window which has a minimum opening of 5 square feet and which does not have an open dimension of less than 22 inches. The window shall be openable from the inside with a single motion and shall be equipped with nonlocking-against-egress hardware. The window shall be openable without the use of special tools. The sill height shall not be more than 36 inches from the floor, unless an approved substantial permanent ledge or similar device which is not less than 12 inches wide is provided under the window, in which case the sill height may be increased to 44 inches from the floor. In an existing facility, "escape window" means a window that is acceptable to the fire inspecting authority.

(h) "Existing facility" means a building which is licensed or approved by the department as an institution at the time these rules take effect and which is not unoccupied or unlicensed for more than 90 consecutive days thereafter. Where an increase in capacity or change in use affects fire safety requirements, the facility shall comply with all applicable requirements before the increase or change in use.

(i) "Facility" means a building that is owned, leased, or primarily rented by a juvenile court for use as a small, large, or secure facility to house and sleep residents. "Facility" includes new, remodeled, converted, and small, large, secure, and existing facilities. Any portion of a facility which is not used by residents, which is not used as a required means of egress, and which is protected from the rest of the facility by an approved fire barrier does not need to meet these rules for fire safety. However, the right of the fire inspecting authority to inspect a nonuse area for hazardous use is retained and directives relative to fire safety of the nonuse area may be issued to assure the fire safety of the use areas. "Facility" does not include an open occupancy building for less than 7 residents.

(j) "Fire alarm device" means an approved device that is capable of sounding an alarm. A fire alarm shall be specifically designated as such and shall not be used for any purpose other than sounding an alarm of fire or other emergency or for fire drills. The device shall be loud enough to be heard throughout the facility under normal conditions. A device may be a bell, a horn, a whistle, or any other device that is acceptable to the fire inspecting authority.

(k) "Fire alarm system" means an approved electrical closed circuit, self-supervised local system for sounding an alarm. The system is comprised of a panel, pull stations, and audible electric signal devices.

(l) "Fire-resistance rating" means the time in hours or fractions thereof that materials or their assemblies will resist fire exposure as determined by fire tests established and conducted by approved testing laboratories.

(m) "Hazardous area" means those parts of a facility that house a flame-producing heating plant, an incinerator, a water heater, or a kitchen and areas where combustible materials, flammable liquids, gases, or dangerous chemicals are used or stored. Domestic laundry equipment is excluded from this definition.

(n) "Large facility" means a building that is used to house more than 15 residents.

(o) "Means of egress and exit" means an unobstructed way of departure from any point in a building to safe open air outside at grade.

(p) "Newly constructed," "new construction," or "new facility" means a structure or addition to a facility after the effective date of these rules.

(q) "Nonambulatory," with respect to a resident, including a resident confined to a wheelchair, means being physically or mentally incapable of traversing a path to safety without the aid of another person. A path to safety includes the ascent and descent of any stairs or other approved means of egress from the building.

(r) "Remodeled" means changes in a facility which modify existing conditions and includes renovation. Remodeled and affected areas of a child caring institution shall conform to the provisions of these rules for fire safety for remodeled and converted facilities. Unaffected areas of a facility are not required to conform to the required provisions for remodeled and converted facilities.

(s) "Residential group home" means an open institution that is used to house less than 7 residents.

(t) "Secure facility" means a building that is used as a detention facility. The building or portions of the building are used to keep residents in custody. Outside doors and individual sleeping rooms usually have locks which are secure from the inside. The locks are used in the usual course of operation. A secure facility shall meet the requirements for a large facility, regardless of the number of residents. A facility with an approved resident confinement room is not a secure facility solely by virtue of having a resident confinement room.

(u) "Small facility" means a building which houses not less than 7 residents and not more than 15 residents and which is not a secure facility.

(v) "Story" means that part of a building between a floor and the floor or roof next above.

(w) "Street floor" means the lowest story of a facility that is not a basement.

(x) "Substantially remodeled" means changes in a facility that result in the exposure or addition of structural joists or studs.

(y) "Wire glass" means glass which is not less than 1/4 of an inch thick; which is reinforced with wire mesh, no. 24 gauge or heavier, with spacing of not more than 1 square inch; and which is installed in steel frames or, when approved, installed in wood frames or stops of hardwood material which is not less than 3/4 of an inch actual dimension and not more than 1,296 square inches per frame, with no single dimension more than 54 inches in length.

Notes

Mich. Admin. Code R. 400.10501

1992 AACS