This regulation establishes Life Safety Code requirements for sleeping and non-sleeping suites in healthcare facilities, covering exit access, egress travel distances, suite size limitations, smoke detection, sprinkler systems, and staff supervision of patient sleeping rooms. Facility operators must ensure suites meet specific square footage caps based on detection and sprinkler status, provide adequate remote exits, and maintain constant staff supervision or automatic smoke detection in patient sleeping areas. These are physical plant and fire safety standards applied during CMS surveys using the 2012 Life Safety Code.
View official sourceK257 Sleeping Suites Occupants shall have exit access to a corridor or direct access to a horizontal exit. Where ≥ 2 exits are required, one exit access door may be to a stairway, passageway or to the exterior. Suites shall be provided with constant staff supervision. Staff shall have direct visual supervision of patient sleeping rooms, from a constantly attended location or the room shall be provided with an automatic smoke detection system. Suites more than 1,000 ft² shall have 2 or more remote exits. One means of egress from the suite shall be to a corridor and one may be into an adjacent suite separated in accordance with corridor requirements. Suites shall not exceed the following size limitations: 5,000 square feet if the suite is not fully smoke detected or fully sprinklered. 7,500 square feet if the suite is either fully smoke detected or fully sprinklered. 10,000 square feet if the suite is both fully smoke detected and fully sprinklered and the sleeping rooms have direct supervision from a constantly attended location. Travel distance between any point in a suite to exit access shall not exceed 100 feet and distance to an exit shall not exceed 150 feet (200 feet if building is fully sprinklered). 18.2.5.7.2, 19.2.5.7.2 Non-Sleeping Suites Occupants shall have exit access to a corridor or direct access to a horizontal exit. Where ≥ 2 exits are required, one exit access door may be to a stairway, passageway or to the exterior. Suites more than 2,500 ft² shall have 2 or more remote exits. One means of egress from the suite shall be to a corridor and one may be into an adjacent suite separated in accordance with corridor requirements. Suites shall not exceed 10,000 ft². Travel distance between any point in a suite to exit access shall not exceed 100 feet and distance to an exit shall not exceed 150 feet (200 feet if building is fully sprinklered). 18.2.5.7.3, 19.2.5.7.3 MET NOT MET N/A REMARKS Name of Facility 2012 LIFE SAFETY CODE Form CMS-2786R (07/2018) Page 12 ID PREFIX