Standards for fire protection and the enforcement thereof, with respect to all hospitals to be licensed hereunder shall be the responsibility of the chief of the Washington state patrol, through the director of fire protection, who shall adopt, after approval by the department, such recognized standards as may be applicable to hospitals for the protection of life against the cause and spread of fire and fire hazards. Such standards shall be consistent with the standards adopted by the federal centers for medicare and medicaid services for hospitals that care for medicare or medicaid beneficiaries. The department upon receipt of an application for a license, shall submit to the director of fire protection in writing, a request for an inspection, giving the applicant's name and the location of the premises to be licensed. Upon receipt of such a request, the chief of the Washington state patrol, through the director of fire protection, or his or her deputy, shall make an inspection of the hospital to be licensed, and if it is found that the premises do not comply with the required safety standards and fire regulations as adopted pursuant to this chapter, he or she shall promptly make a written report to the hospital and to the department listing the corrective actions required and the time allowed for accomplishing such corrections. The applicant or licensee shall notify the chief of the Washington state patrol, through the director of fire protection, upon completion of any corrections required by him or her, and the chief of the Washington state patrol, through the director of fire protection, or his or her deputy, shall make a reinspection of such premises. Whenever the hospital to be licensed meets with the approval of the chief of the Washington state patrol, through the director of fire protection, he or she shall submit to the department a written report approving the hospital with respect to fire protection, and such report is required before a full license can be issued. The chief of the Washington state patrol, through the director of fire protection, shall make or cause to be made inspections of such hospitals at least once a year.

     In cities which have in force a comprehensive building code, the provisions of which are determined by the chief of the Washington state patrol, through the director of fire protection, to be equal to the minimum standards of the code for hospitals adopted by the chief of the Washington state patrol, through the director of fire protection, the chief of the fire department, provided the latter is a paid chief of a paid fire department, shall make the inspection with the chief of the Washington state patrol, through the director of fire protection, or his or her deputy and they shall jointly approve the premises before a full license can be issued.

[2004 c 261 § 3; 1995 c 369 § 40; 1986 c 266 § 94; 1985 c 213 § 19; 1955 c 267 § 8.]

NOTES:

     Effective date -- 1995 c 369: See note following RCW 43.43.930.

     Severability -- 1986 c 266: See note following RCW 38.52.005.

     Savings -- Effective date -- 1985 c 213: See notes following RCW 43.20.050.

State fire protection: Chapter 43.44 RCW.