N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. tit. 10, § 713-2.22 – Electrical requirements.

(a) All material including equipment, conductors, controls and signaling devices shall be installed to provide a complete electrical system with the necessary characteristics and capacity to supply the electrical facilities shown in the specifications or indicated on the plans. Materials and installation shall conform to NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 1999 edition, and NFPA 99, Standard for Health Care Facilities. 1999 edition. Further details concerning these referenced materials are contained in section 711.2(a) of this Title. All electrical installations and systems shall be tested to show that the equipment is installed and operates as planned or specified.
(b) Circuit breakers or fusible switches that provide disconnecting means and overcurrent protection for conductors connected to switchboards and panel boards shall be enclosed or guarded to provide a deadfront type of assembly. The main switchboard shall be located in a separate enclosure accessible only to authorized persons. The switchboard shall be convenient for use, readily accessible for maintenance, clear of traffic lanes, and in a dry ventilated space free of corrosive fumes or gases. Overload protective devices shall be suitable for operating properly in ambient temperature conditions.
(c) Panel boards serving lighting and appliance circuits shall be located on the same floor as the circuits they serve. This requirement does not apply to emergency system circuits.
(d) All spaces occupied by people, machinery, equipment within buildings, approaches to buildings and parking lots shall have lighting. Residents' rooms shall have general lighting and night lighting. A reading light shall be provided for each resident. At least one light fixture for night lighting shall be switched at the entrance to each resident room. All switches for control of lighting in resident areas shall be of the quiet operating type.
(e) Receptacles (convenience outlets) shall comply with the following:
1. (1) Each resident room shall have duplex grounding-type receptacles as follows: one location each side of the head of each bed; one for television, if used; and one on another wall.
2. (2) Duplex receptacles for general use shall be installed approximately 50 feet apart in all corridors and within 25 feet of the ends of corridors.
(f) The electrical circuit(s) to fixed or portable equipment in hydrotherapy units shall be provided with five milliampere ground fault interrupters.
(g) Nurses' calling systems shall comply with the following:
1. (1) A call button shall be provided at each resident bedside, which calls to the nurse's station. Two call buttons serving adjacent beds may be served by one calling station. Calls shall register with the floor staff and shall activate a visible signal in the corridor at the resident's door, in the clean workroom, in the soiled workroom, and in the nourishment station of the nursing unit. In multi-corridor nursing units, additional visible signals shall be installed at corridor intersections. In rooms containing two or more calling stations, indicating lights shall be provided at each station. Nurses' calling systems that provide two-way voice communication shall be equipped with an indicating light at each calling station with lights, and remain lighted as long as the voice circuit is operating.
2. (2) A nurses' call emergency button shall be provided for residents' use at each resident's toilet, bath and shower room.
(h) Emergency electric services shall comply with the following:
1. (1) To provide electricity during an interruption of the normal electric supply, an emergency source of electricity shall be provided and connected to certain circuits for lighting and power.
2. (2) The source of this emergency electric service shall be as follows:
  1. (i) an emergency generating set when the normal service is supplied by one or more central station transmission lines; and
  2. (ii) an emergency generating set or a central station transmission line when the normal electric supply is generated on the premises.
3. (3) Emergency electric service shall be provided to the distribution systems as follows:
  1. (i) Illumination for means of egress, exit signs and exit directional signs as required in NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, 2000 edition. Further details concerning this referenced material are contained in section 711.2(a) of this Title.
  2. (ii) Corridor duplex receptacles in resident areas.
  3. (iii) Nurses' calling systems.
  4. (iv) Equipment necessary for maintaining telephone service.
  5. (v) Elevator service that will reach every resident floor when resident rooms are located on other than ground floor. Throwover facilities shall be provided to allow temporary operation of any elevator for release of persons who may be trapped between floors.
  6. (vi) A fire pump, if installed.
  7. (vii) Equipment for heating resident rooms, except where the facility is served by two or more electrical services supplied from separate generators of a utility distribution network having multiple power input sources and arranged to provide mechanical and electrical separation so that a fault between the facility and the generating sources will not likely cause an interruption of its service feeders.
  8. (viii) General illumination and selected receptacles in the vicinity of the generator set.
  9. (ix) Paging or speaker systems if intended for communication during emergency. Radio transceivers where installed for emergency use shall be capable of operating for at least one hour upon total failure of both normal and emergency power.
  10. (x) Alarm systems, including fire alarms activated at manual stations, water flow alarm devices of sprinkler system if electrically operated, fire- and smoke-detecting systems, and alarms required for nonflammable medical gas systems if installed.
4. (4) The emergency lighting shall be in operation within 10 seconds after the interruption of normal electric power supply. Emergency service to receptacles and equipment may be delayed automatic or manually connected. Receptacles connected to emergency power shall be distinctively marked. When the generator is operated by fuel, which is normally piped underground to the site from a utility distribution system, fuel storage facilities on the site will not be required.
5. (5) Each resident sleeping room shall be protected by an automatic smoke and heat detection system that includes an approved and operational automatic smoke and heat detector in such room. The detectors shall conform to the applicable provisions of NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm Code, 1999 edition, and shall be electrically connected to the fire alarm system. Additional information regarding this material is available in section 711.2(a) of this Title.