Brief Description: Modifying the fire protection standards for hospitals.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research & Development (originally sponsored by Senators Keiser and Marr; by request of Washington State Patrol).

Senate Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research & Development
House Committee on Health Care & Wellness
House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government & Audit Review

Background: The Chief of the Washington State Patrol (WSP), through the Director of Fire Protection, sets and enforces standards for fire protection as they relate to all licensed hospitals. Hospital fire protection and enforcement standards must be consistent with standards adopted by the federal centers for Medicare and Medicaid services for hospitals that care for Medicare or Medicaid beneficiaries. The Chief of the WSP, through the Director of Fire Protection, must inspect hospitals at least once a year.

The state Director of Fire Protection administers licensing and certification requirements, and sets license and certificate fees for fire sprinkler contractors and fire sprinkler certificate of competency holders. These fees are deposited into the Fire Protection Contractor License Fund. This fund is used only for purposes of licensing and regulating fire protection sprinkler system contractors and assisting in identifying fire sprinkler system components subject to recalls or voluntary replacement programs, as well as for licensing and regulating fire protection sprinkler system contractors.

Summary: The requirement that the Chief of the WSP conduct inspections of hospitals every 12 months is extended to an average of every 18 months. The standard used for inspecting an existing hospital, or portion of an existing hospital, must be the standards used for existing buildings and not the standards used for new construction.

The Chief of the WSP, through the Director of Fire Protection (Director), must inspect a hospital during the inspection conducted by the Department of Health (DOH). DOH must incorporate the written report from the Director into DOH's final inspection report. Applicants or licensees must submit their corrections to comply with the fire protection standards along with any other licensing inspection to DOH. The Director may reinspect the premises if extensive and serious corrections are required. The Director must utilize the scope and severity matrix developed by the centers of Medicare and Medicaid services when determining what corrections will require a reinspection. Inspections conducted by the joint commission are deemed equivalent to an inspection by the Chief of the WSP, through the Director.

The purposes for which the Fire Protection Contractor License Fund may be used are broadened to include the standards set for fire protection and its enforcement with respect to all hospitals.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate      47   0
House      96   0

Effective:   June 12, 2008