3701-17-22. General building and sanitation requirements; overhead paging

(A) The building or buildings in which a nursing home is located shall be in compliance with the applicable provisions of the Ohio building code and shall have a certificate of use issued by the appropriate building authority.

(B) All plumbing shall be so installed and maintained as to be free of leakage and odors and as to reasonably insure adequate health and safety protection. Plumbing fixtures in nursing homes or additions to nursing homes constructed, erected, altered or relocated after September 10, 1984, and plumbing fixtures in buildings converted into nursing homes after September 10, 1984 shall conform to the applicable provisions of the Ohio building code.

(C) Lavatories, bathing facilities, and shower facilities shall be supplied with hot and cold running water and shall be regulated by approved devices for temperature control. The hot water temperature in areas used by residents shall be a minimum of one hundred five degrees Fahrenheit and not exceed one hundred and twenty degrees Fahrenheit.

(D) The nursing home's water supply shall be adequate in quantity and of suitable chemical and bacteriological quality for drinking, culinary, and cleaning purposes. The water supply for a nursing home shall be taken from a public supply, if available. If from a source of supply other than a public supply, the water supply shall comply with all applicable local and state regulations regarding the construction, development, installation, alteration, and use of private water systems.

(E) All liquid wastes from nursing homes shall be discharged into a public sanitary sewerage system, if available. Where not available, such wastes shall be discharged into a sewage disposal system that meets all applicable local and state regulations regarding the construction, development, installation, alteration, and use of private household sewage disposal systems. The nursing home shall properly maintain its sewage disposal system in good, safe working condition.

(F) Heating, cooling, electrical, and other building service equipment shall be maintained in good working and safe condition.

(G) The buildings and grounds shall be maintained in a clean and orderly manner.

(H) All garbage and other refuse shall be disposed of immediately after production, or shall be stored in leak-proof containers with tight fitting covers until time of disposal, and all wastes shall be disposed of in a satisfactory manner.

(I) Adequate measures shall be taken to prevent the entrance of insects, rodents, and pests into any building used for a nursing home or part thereof and to prevent their infestation of the premises.

(J) The extermination of insects, rodents, and pests shall be done in such a manner as not to create a fire or health hazard.

(K) Beginning July 1, 2015, each nursing home shall prohibit the use of overhead paging within the nursing home, except that the nursing home may permit the use of overhead paging for matters of urgent public safety or urgent clinical operations. The nursing home shall develop a written policy regarding its use of overhead paging and make the policy available to staff, residents, and residents' families.

Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 08/08/2017 and 08/01/2022
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 3721.04
Rule Amplifies: 3721.04
Prior Effective Dates: 5/2/1966, 7/1/73, 9/10/84, 12/21/92, 10/20/01, 4/1/12, 12/8/14

Prior History: (Effective: 12/8/2014
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 10/01/2016
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 3721.04
Rule Amplifies: 3721.04
Prior Effective Dates: 5/2/1966, 7/1/73, 9/10/84, 12/21/92, 10/20/01, 4/1/12)