HTML has links - PDF has Authentication
388-61A-1095  <<  388-61A-1100 >>   388-61A-1105

PDFWAC 388-61A-1100

What safety requirements are emergency shelters required to meet?

You must keep your equipment and the physical structures in the emergency shelter, including furniture and appliances, safe and clean for the clients you serve. You must:
(1) Maintain the emergency shelter, premises, equipment, and supplies in a clean, safe and sanitary condition, free of hazards, and in good repair;
(2) Provide guard or handrails, as necessary, for stairways, porches, and balconies;
(3) Have a method for securing all windows, doors, and other building accesses to prevent the entry of intruders;
(4) Make sure that clients residing in emergency shelter are able to immediately enter the shelter if they do not have the ability to independently access the facility with their own key, key card, door code, or other device;
(5) Provide adequate lighting of exterior areas to ensure the safety of clients residing in emergency shelter and staff during the night;
(6) Provide a way for staff to enter any area occupied by clients should there be an emergency;
(7) Secure all unused refrigerators and freezers accessible to children in such a way that prevents them from climbing in and becoming trapped;
(8) Request an annual fire and life safety inspection from the local fire department or fire marshal and:
(a) Document and maintain the request and any report issued as a result of the inspection; and
(b) Immediately correct any violations noted by the inspector;
(9) Have at least one program staff present or on-call to go to the emergency shelter twenty-four hours a day, seven days per week when clients are residing in shelter;
(10) Provide residents with contact numbers and instructions, in the resident's primary language, on how they can access domestic violence program staff; and
(11) Make sure that emergency shelter residents have, or have access to in the shelter, at least one telephone for incoming and outgoing calls.
[Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.123 RCW. WSR 18-09-015, ยง 388-61A-1100, filed 4/10/18, effective 5/11/18.]