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Facilities Development Division (FDD) About Us
PURPOSE STATEMENT
The purpose of OSHPD's Facilities Development Division is to regulate the design and construction of healthcare facilities to ensure they are safe and capable of providing services to the public.
FDD – About Us
- History
- FDD Responsibilities
- Plan Review
- Construction Obvservation
- Regulations
- Seismic Retrofit Program
- Post Earthquake Evaluations
- Hospital Building Safety Board
- Staff Contacts
- Organization
History
The Sylmar Earthquake of 1971 caused the collapse of several hospitals, endangering the lives of patients in those hospitals at the time and rendering the hospitals incapable of providing emergency care to people injured in the earthquake.
Hospitals, unlike other buildings, must not only be safe for the public, but must remain functional and able to provide care to the community in the event of a major disaster, including earthquakes. As a result, in order to ensure that hospitals in California conform to high construction standards, the Legislature passed the Alfred E. Alquist Hospital Facilities Seismic Safety Act (HSSA) in 1973. The intent of the HSSA is to assure that hospitals are reasonably capable of providing services to the public after a disaster.
In 1983, the HSSA (Health and Safety Code, Section 129675) was significantly amended and ultimately preempted local building departments from all hospital construction plan review responsibility and transferred it the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD), and the Division of the State Architect. This essentially created a building department within the Office of Statewide Health Planning, called Facilities Development Division (FDD).
In 1991, recognizing the need to consolidate health facility plan review and construction observation functions, the Legislature established a single point of accountability and authority for plan review and construction observation activities relating to hospitals by transferring all duties and functions to OSHPD, FDD. Now the hospital design and construction industry has a single enforcement agency to provide all services and technical guidance with regard to the construction of health facility projects.
Senate Bill 1953 (SB 1953) was introduced on February 25, 1994. It was signed into law on September 21, 1994 and filed by the Secretary of State on September 22, 1994. The bill was an amendment to and furtherance of the Alfred E. Alquist Hospital Seismic Safety Act of 1983 (Alquist Act). SB 1953 (Chapter 740, 1994), is now chaptered into statute in Sections 130000 through 130070 of the Alfred E. Alquist Hospital Facilities Seismic Safety Act, and part of the California Health and Safety Code. The regulations developed as a result of this statute are deemed to be emergency regulations and became effective upon approval by the California Building Standards Commission and filing with the Secretary of State on March 18, 1998.
FDD Responsibilities
- Pursuant to the Hospital Seismic Safety Act, OSHPD's responsibilities are carried out by its Facilities Development Division (FDD). FDD is responsible for overseeing all aspects of general acute care hospital, psychiatric hospital, skilled nursing home and intermediate care facility construction in California. This responsibility includes: establishing building standards which govern construction of these types of facilities; reviewing the plans and specifications for new construction, alteration, renovation, or additions to health facilities; and, observing construction in progress to ensure compliance with the approved plans and specifications. FDD serves as a "one-stop shop" for all aspects of health facility construction. All geo-technical, structural, mechanical, electrical and fire/life safety considerations for inpatient healthcare facility physical plant are handled by FDD. See Title 24, Part 1, OSHPD Administrative Regulations Effective 03/17/07 (PDF)
- The California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Licensing & Certification Program, ensures that the organization and operation of health facilities meet specified standards (eg. staffing ratios and qualifications, quality of care protocols, emergency action plans).
When documents are submitted for new construction, alterations, or additions of hospital buildings or skilled nursing homes, FDD reviews and approves the plans and specifications to ensure compliance with the provisions of the California Building Standards Code, Title 24, California Code of Regulations. This includes plan review of the design details of the architectural, structural, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems. See Plan Review Process for details.
FDD observes construction activities to ensure compliance with the provisions of the California Building Standards Code, Title 24, California Code of Regulations.
The FDD construction oversight process entails the following: Upon plan approval, a building permit is issued and construction begins. The facility owner hires a FDD-certified Building Inspector, who throughout the construction phase, reports to FDD field personnel and the owners on the progress of the construction. S/he notifies FDD of discrepancies between approved plans/specifications and work in progress, and assures their resolution by the hospital design team, with FDD approval. In addition, FDD field personnel make periodic visits to the construction site to assure that the seismic, fire and life safety, and other requirements of the building code are being met. Once construction is completed, FDD issues a certificate of occupancy which allows the owner to then apply to the Department of Health Services for a license to operate the health facility.
FDD is also a regulatory agency authorized to develop building standards adopted in the California Building Standards Code for hospitals and skilled nursing facilities, as well as, correctional treatment centers and licensed clinics. However, enforcement of building standards for correctional treatment centers is under the jurisdiction of the local law enforcement agency or State Department of Corrections or California Youth Authority with the applicable agency certifying to FDD that their health facilities are code compliant. Licensed clinics remain under the jurisdiction of the local building official for code enforcement, however, under certain conditions, dialysis clinics and surgical clinics may be reviewed by FDD. See Codes & Regulations for details.
FDD manages the seismic retrofit program that requires Hospitals as defined in Section 129725 and licensed pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 1250 of the Health & Safety Code to comply with the regulations developed by OSHPD as mandated by SB 1953. The intent is to, over time, eliminate acute care hospital buildings that have low probability of remaining functional after an earthquake. See Seismic Retrofit Program for details.
FDD staff also play an important role in the aftermath of an earthquake. Staff are dispatched to assess the extent of damage to health facilities in the affected communities. Based on these assessments, the facilities are cleared to continue providing care without interruption or, if the damage is severe enough, the facility may be closed. The results of these assessments are communicated to state and local emergency response personnel, so they can route patients to safe facilities. As well, FDD staff review and approve on-site construction required for mitigation of earthquake damage to the facility.
Hospital Building Safety Board
The Hospital Building Safety Board – a citizen advisory board with members who are recognized experts in health facility design, engineering, and construction – advises FDD in the development of policies and procedures which guide administration of the Hospital Seismic Safety program.