Section 72C Convalescent or nursing homes; lighting and ventilation - Massachusetts Statutes

Section 72C. All convalescent or nursing homes shall be provided throughout with electric lighting, and shall have an emergency lighting system for the boiler room, exits, stairs, patient corridors and nurses’ stations, which shall be maintained in proper working order and kept available for use when required, and an emergency generator or battery with a capacity sufficient to supply the emergency lighting system for a period of at least one and one half hours, and for such further period as may be determined by rule or regulation of the department. Lighting of not less than five foot candles shall be provided during the night in all corridors and toilets, and lighting of not less than one foot candle shall be provided during the night in patients’ rooms. All rooms or other areas used by patients shall, unless lights are kept on therein continuously, have light switches so located as to be within easy reach of wheel chair patients.

The use of candles, kerosene lamps or lanterns or other open flame methods of illumination in a convalescent or nursing home is prohibited.

All convalescent or nursing homes shall provide each room and space therein which does not have an outside window and which is used by patients or personnel of such home with forced or other ventilation sufficient to change the air therein at least once in six minutes.

The department shall make such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section, and shall establish standards of lighting for convalescent or nursing homes, said standards to be in accordance with the lighting levels of the Illuminating Engineering Society.