WAC 51-50-0308   Section 308 -- Institutional Group I.  


308.1 Institutional Group I. Institutional Group I Occupancy includes, among others, the use of a building or structure, or a portion thereof, in which people are cared for or live in a supervised environment, having physical limitations because of health or age are harbored for medical treatment or other care or treatment, or in which people are detained for penal or correctional purposes or in which the liberty of the occupants is restricted. Institutional occupancies shall be classified as Group I-1, I-2, I-3 or I-4.


308.2 Group I-1. This occupancy shall include buildings, structures or parts thereof housing more than 16 persons, on a 24-hour basis, who because of age, mental disability or other reasons, live in a supervised residential environment that provides personal care services. The occupants are capable of responding to an emergency situation without physical assistance from staff. This group shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

     Residential board and care facilities

     Assisted living facilities

     Halfway houses

     Group homes

     Congregate care facilities

     Social rehabilitation facilities

     Alcohol and drug centers

     Convalescent facilities

     A facility such as the above with five or fewer persons and adult family homes licensed by Washington state shall be classified as a Group R-3 or shall comply with the International Residential Code in accordance with Section 101.2.

     A facility such as the above, providing licensed care to clients in one of the categories listed in Section 310.1 licensed by Washington state shall be classified as Group R-2.


308.3 Group I-2. This occupancy shall include buildings and structures used for medical, surgical, psychiatric, nursing or custodial care for persons who are not capable of self-preservation. This group shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

     Child care facilities

     Detoxification facilities

     Hospice care centers

     Hospitals

     Mental hospitals

     Nursing homes

     A facility such as the above providing licensed care to clients in one of the categories listed in Section 310.1 licensed by Washington state shall be classified as Group R-2.


308.3.1 Definitions. The following words and terms shall, for the purposes of this section and as used elsewhere in this code, have the meanings shown herein.


CHILD CARE FACILITIES. Facilities that provide care on a 24-hour basis to more than five children, 2 1/2 years of age or less, shall be classified as Group I-2.


DETOXIFICATION FACILITY. Facilities that serve patients who are provided treatment for substance abuse on a 24-hour basis and who are incapable of self-preservation or who are harmful to themselves or others.


HOSPITALS AND MENTAL HOSPITALS. A building or portion thereof used on a 24-hour basis for the medical, psychiatric, obstetrical or surgical treatment of inpatients who are incapable of self-preservation.


NURSING HOMES. Nursing homes are long-term care facilities on a 24-hour basis, including both intermediate care facilities and skilled nursing facilities, serving more than five persons and any of the persons are incapable of self-preservation.


HOSPICE CARE CENTER. A building or portion thereof used on a 24-hour basis for the provision of hospice services to terminally ill inpatients.


308.5.2 Child care facility. A facility that provides supervision and personal care on a less than 24-hour basis for more than five children 2 1/2 years of age or less shall be classified as Group I-4.

EXCEPTIONS:	1. A child day care facility that provides care for more than five but no more than 100 children 2 1/2 years or less of age, where the rooms in which the children are cared for are located on a level of exit discharge serving such rooms and each of these child care rooms has an exit door directly to the exterior, shall be classified as Group E.
	2. Family child day care homes licensed by Washington state for the care of twelve or fewer children shall be classified as Group R-3.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 19.27.031 and 19.27.074. 10-03-097, § 51-50-0308, filed 1/20/10, effective 7/1/10. Statutory Authority: RCW 19.27.074, 19.27.020, and chapters 70.92, 19.27, and 34.05 RCW. 07-01-091, § 51-50-0308, filed 12/19/06, effective 7/1/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 19.27.031 and 19.27.074. 04-01-108, § 51-50-0308, filed 12/17/03, effective 7/1/04.]