1. (1) In each building, the assisted living facility must provide for the safe and sanitary storage and handling of nursing equipment and supplies appropriate to the needs of their residents, as well as for the soiled nursing equipment by providing:

   1. (a) A "clean" utility area for the purposes of storing and preparing nursing supplies, or durable and disposable medical equipment equipped with:

      1. (i) A work counter or table; and
      2. (ii) A handwashing sink, with soap and paper towels or other approved hand-drying device;

   2. (b) A "soiled" utility room for the purposes of storing soiled linen, cleaning nursing care equipment, and disposing of refuse and infectious waste, equipped with:

      1. (i) A work counter or table;
      2. (ii) A two-compartment sink for handwashing and equipment cleaning and sanitizing;
      3. (iii) Soap and paper towels or other approved hand-drying device; and
      4. (iv) Locked storage for cleaning supplies, if stored in the area.

   3. (c) An area for locked medication storage consistent with WAC 388-78A-2260, equipped with:

      1. (i) A work surface; and
      2. (ii) An adjacent hand-washing sink, with soap and paper towels or other approved hand-drying device.
2. (2) "Clean" and "soiled" utility areas must be accessible by staff persons, or residents with appropriate staff assistance if those "clean" or "soiled" areas contain resident laundry facilities.
3. (3) Single designs meeting the functional intent and built to address issues of infection control, work process, and mechanical ventilation may be approved.

4. (4) Each assisted living facility:

   1. (a) May combine areas used for storing, handling, and cleaning soiled laundry and linens, areas used for cleaning nursing care equipment, areas for disposing of refuse and infectious waste, and/or areas for storing housekeeping and cleaning supplies, into a single area on the premises only when the assisted living facility equips the area with:

      1. (i) A two-compartment sink for handwashing and sanitizing;
      2. (ii) A work counter or table;
      3. (iii) A mechanical ventilation to the outside of the assisted living facility; and
      4. (iv) Locked storage for cleaning supplies, if stored in the area.

   2. (b) Must ensure that any work or function performed in or around a combined utility area as described in subsection (4)(a) of this section is performed without significant risk of contamination to:

      1. (i) Storing or handling clean nursing supplies or equipment;
      2. (ii) Storing or handling clean laundry;
      3. (iii) Providing resident care;
      4. (iv) Food storage, preparation, or service; or
      5. (v) Other operations or services of functions in the assisted living facility sensitive to infection control practices.

[Statutory Authority: Chapters 18.20 and 74.39A RCW. WSR 20-02-104, § 388-78A-2920, filed 12/31/19, effective 1/31/20. Statutory Authority: Chapter 18.20 RCW. WSR 13-13-063, § 388-78A-2920, filed 6/18/13, effective 7/19/13. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.20.090. WSR 06-01-047, § 388-78A-2920, filed 12/15/05, effective 1/15/06. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.20.090 (2004 c 142 § 19) and chapter 18.20 RCW. WSR 04-16-065, § 388-78A-2920, filed 7/30/04, effective 9/1/04.]