Virginia Code 32.1-126.3: Fire suppression systems required in hospitals
After January 1, 1998, the Commissioner shall not issue a license to or renew the license of any hospital, regardless of when such facility was constructed, unless the hospital is equipped with an automatic sprinkler system which complies with the regulations of the Board of Housing and Community Development.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 32.1-126.3
- Hospital: means any facility licensed pursuant to this article in which the primary function is the provision of diagnosis, of treatment, and of medical and nursing services, surgical or nonsurgical, for two or more nonrelated individuals, including hospitals known by varying nomenclature or designation such as children's hospitals, sanatoriums, sanitariums and general, acute, rehabilitation, chronic disease, short-term, long-term, outpatient surgical, and inpatient or outpatient maternity hospitals. See Virginia Code 32.1-123
The Commissioner may, at his discretion, extend the time for compliance with this section for any hospital that can demonstrate (i) its inability to comply, if such hospital submits, prior to January 1, 1998, a plan for compliance by a date certain which shall be no later than July 1, 1998, or (ii) that construction is underway for a new facility to house the services currently located in the noncomplying facility and that such construction will be completed and the noncomplying facility relocated by December 31, 1998.
The provisions of Article 1.1 (§ 32.1-102.1 et seq.) of Chapter 4 of this title shall not apply to expenditures required solely for compliance with this section.
For the purposes of this section and § 36-99.9:1, “automatic sprinkler system” means a device for suppressing fire in patient rooms and other areas of the hospital customarily used for patient care.