S.I. No. 147/1994:

NURSING HOMES (CARE AND WELFARE) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 1994.

NURSING HOMES (CARE AND WELFARE) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 1994.

The Minister for Health, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by Section 6 of the Health (Nursing Homes) Act, 1990 (No. 23 of 1990) hereby makes the following Regulations:--

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Nursing Homes (Care and Welfare) (Amendment) Regulations, 1994.

2. The following Article is hereby substituted for Article 27 of the Nursing Homes (Care and Welfare) Regulations, 1993 ( S.I. No. 226 of 1993 ):

"27.1. The registered proprietor and the person in charge of the nursing home shall:

( a ) take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of adequate means of escape in the event of fire and make adequate arrangements for detecting, containing and extinguishing fires, for the giving of warnings and for the evacuation of all persons in the nursing home in the event of fire, and for the maintenance of fire fighting equipment;

( b ) make adequate arrangements to secure by means of fire drills and practices that the staff, and so far as is practicable, dependent persons in the nursing home, know the procedure to be followed in the case of fire;

( c ) take all reasonable measures to ensure that materials contained in bedding and the internal furnishings of the nursing home have adequate fire retardancy properties and have low levels of toxicity when on fire;

( d ) ensure that emergency lighting is provided in the home;

27.2. The registered proprietor shall:

(i) supply to the health board with the application for registration of the nursing home, written confirmation from a competent person that the requirements of article 27.1 (a), (b), (c) and (d) and articles 28.1 and 28.2 have been complied with, or

(ii) where in the opinion of a competent person the home does not comply with the requirements of article 27.1 (a), (b), (c) and (d) and articles 28.1 and 28.2, supply to the health board a written schedule prepared by a competent person of measures which would enable the home to comply with the provisions of the above articles by a date to be agreed by the health board.

27.3. A written confirmation provided in accordance with Article 27.2 (i) shall suffice on any subsequent registration of the nursing home, save where structural alterations to the home have been carried out, in which case, a new written confirmation in accordance with Article 27.2. (i) shall be produced to the Health Board."

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Health, this 19th day of May, 1994.

BRENDAN HOWLIN,TD,

Minister for Health.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These Regulations amend the Nursing Homes (Care and Welfare) Regulations, 1993 ( S.I. No. 226 of 1993 ) to change the requirements in relation to fire safety in the registration of a nursing home.