Chapter 3 — PROVISIONS FOR ALL COMPLIANCE METHODS
Section 312A
California Existing Building Code (Title 24, Part 10) · 2022 edition · updated 2026-09-10 · California
Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.
REMOVAL OF HOSPITAL SPC AND FREESTANDING BUILDINGS FROM
GENERAL ACUTE CARE SERVICE
312A.1 General. The provisions of this section shall apply¶
when hospital SPC or freestanding buildings are being removed from general acute care service, including when freestanding buildings are removed from OSHPD jurisdic- tion. Removal of these buildings shall satisfy the require- ments of this section and the California Building Standards Code. OSHPD approval of construction documents and a building permit are required for removal.
312A.1.1 Buildings without approved extensions. An SPC- 1 hospital building without an approved delay in compli-
PROVISIONS FOR ALL COMPLIANCE METHODS
ance requirements in accordance with the California Administrative Code (CAC) Chapter 6 Section 1.5.2 or past the extension date granted in accordance with the CAC Chapter 6 Section 1.5.2 shall not be issued a building per- mit until a project to remove the subject SPC-1 building from general acute care services has been approved, per- mitted and closed in compliance by the Office.
Exception: Building permits for seismic compliance, maintenance and repair shall be permitted to be issued.
312A.2 Definitions. The following words and terms are¶
applicable to this section only: BUILDING. The area included within surrounding exterior walls or any combination of exterior walls and fire walls (as described in California Building Code Sections 202 and 706) exclusive of vent shafts and courts. Areas of the building not provided with surrounding walls shall be included in the building area if such areas are included within the horizontal projection of the roof or floor above. A building may consist of one or more adjacent SPC buildings. GENERAL ACUTE CARE SERVICE. Means basic and supplemental services, as defined in California Building Code Section 1224.3, provided in a general acute care build- ing, as defined in California Building Code Section 202 and the California Administrative Code, Chapter 6, Section 1.2. STRUCTURAL SEPARATION. Means a building separa- tion in accordance with the California Building Code.
312A.3 Establishing eligibility for removal from general¶
acute care service. In order to establish that one or more SPC buildings are eligible for removal from general acute care service, the hospital owner shall submit construction documents showing that after the SPC buildings are removed from general acute care service:
1. All basic acute care services or supplemental services on the hospital’s license are provided in SPC buildings satisfying the requirements for SPC-2, SPC-3, SPC-4, SPC-4D or SPC-5.
Exception: If the hospital includes SPC-1 buildings that are not being removed from general acute care service, and these SPC-1 buildings have an approved extension to the SPC-2 deadline, basic acute care services or supplemental services on the hospital’s license are permitted to remain in these SPC buildings for the duration of their extension or until these SPC-1 buildings are removed from gen- eral acute care service, whichever comes first. 2. All basic acute care services or supplemental services on the hospital’s license are provided in SPC buildings satisfying the requirements for NPC-3, NPC-4/NPC- 4D or NPC-5. Exception: Services shall be permitted to be located in SPC buildings satisfying the requirements of NPC-2 if the SPC buildings have an approved exten- sion to NPC-3 deadline. 3. The hospital complies with all egress requirements, including occupant load, number of required exits and travel distance to exits, and provides evidence that no egress from any acute care hospital building passes
Copyright © 2022 by, or licensed to, International Code Council, Inc. (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED); licensed to California Building Standards Commission pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions is authorized. Any unauthorized reproduction or distribution is a violation of the federal copyright act and the license agreement, and subject to civil and criminal penalties thereunder.
PROVISIONS FOR ALL COMPLIANCE METHODS
through the SPC buildings removed from general acute care service, SPC-1 buildings, or through buildings not under OSHPD jurisdiction.
Exceptions:
1. If the SPC building has an approved extension to the SPC-2 deadline, existing egress through the SPC-1 building shall be permitted for the duration of the extension or until the SPC-1 building is removed from general acute care service, whichever comes first. 2. When permitted by Section 311A.1.1.1.6. 4. No SPC building removed from general acute care ser- vice is used as a smoke compartment for any acute care hospital building. Buildings not under OSHPD juris- diction shall not be used as a smoke compartment for any acute care hospital building. 5. Structural separation, fire barriers and fire walls shall satisfy the requirements of the California Building Standards Code.
_ 4. No SPC building removed from general acute care ser- vice is used as a smoke compartment for any acute care hospital building. Buildings not under OSHPD juris- diction shall not be used as a smoke compartment for any acute care hospital building. 5. Structural separation, fire barriers and fire walls shall satisfy the requirements of the California Building Standards Code.
Exception: An SPC seismic separation in accor- dance with the California Administrative Code Chapter 6 Section 3.4 shall be deemed to satisfy the building structural/seismic separation requirement in this section for SPC buildings that will remain under OSHPD jurisdiction. 6. If the SPC building removed from general acute care service shares a common fire alarm system with the acute care hospital, the main fire alarm control panel shall be located in an acute care hospital building. The SPC building removed from general acute care service shall be in a separate zone monitored by the main fire alarm control panel. Flexible connections shall be pro- vided for conduits/conductors crossing structural or SPC seismic separation joints. If the intent is to place the SPC building under local jurisdiction, the building shall satisfy Section 312A.5.1.
Exception: Flexible connections for fire alarm con- duits/conductors crossing seismic separation joints between an SPC building removed from general acute care service and adjacent SPC-1 or SPC-2 buildings may be omitted, provided the fire alarm in the adjacent SPC-1 and SPC-2 buildings have no connection to any SPC-3, SPC-4, SPC-4D and SPC- 5 buildings providing general acute care service. 7. If the SPC building removed from general acute care service shares the fire sprinkler system with the acute care hospital, an isolation valve with a tamper switch shall be provided to isolate the portion of the system serving the SPC building removed from acute care ser- vice. Flexible connections shall be provided in piping that crosses structural or SPC seismic separation joints. The fire sprinkler system shall not originate in the SPC building removed from general acute care ser- vice. If the intent is to place the building under local jurisdiction, the building shall satisfy Section 312A.5.1.
Exception: Flexible connections for seismic separa- tion joints and fail safe shutoff valves, and discon-
nects for utilities between an SPC building removed from general acute care service and adjacent SPC-1 or SPC-2 buildings may be omitted, provided utili- ties in the adjacent SPC-1 and SPC-2 buildings have no connection to any SPC-3, SPC-4, SPC-4D and SPC-5 buildings providing general acute care ser- vice. 8. Patient access as required by California Building Code Section 1224.4.7.5 does not pass through an SPC building removed from general acute care service or through buildings that are not under the jurisdiction of OSHPD. 9. The primary accessible entrance to the hospital is not through an SPC building removed from general acute care service or through buildings that are not under the jurisdiction of OSHPD. 10. No utilities servicing acute care hospital buildings originate in or pass through, over or under, an SPC building removed from general acute care service, except as permitted by Section 310A.1.1.1.5, or a build- ing not under OSHPD jurisdiction. 11. If utilities originating in an acute care hospital building feed an SPC building removed from general acute care hospital service, fail safe shutoff valves and/or discon- nects shall be provided that permit isolation of the SPC building removed from general acute care service from the hospital utilities. Flexible connections shall be pro- vided for all utilities crossing structural or SPC seismic separation joints.
Exception: Flexible connections for seismic separa- tion joints and fail safe shutoff valves, and discon- nects for utilities between an SPC building removed from general acute care service and adjacent SPC-1 or SPC-2 buildings may be omitted, provided utili- ties in the adjacent SPC-1 and SPC-2 buildings have no connection to any SPC-3, SPC-4, SPC-4D and SPC-5 buildings providing general acute care ser- vice.
312A.4 Buildings remaining under OSHPD jurisdiction.¶
SPC and freestanding buildings removed from acute care service while remaining under the jurisdiction of OSHPD shall be subject to the provisions of Section 312.3.
312A.5 Change in jurisdiction for buildings removed from¶
general acute care service. Except as provided by Section 312A.5.3, at the hospital’s discretion, a building removed from general acute care service shall be permitted to be placed under the jurisdiction of the local enforcement agency. To be eligible for a change in jurisdiction, the build- ing removed from general acute care service shall satisfy the requirements of Section 312A.5.1.
312A.5.1 Eligibility for change in jurisdiction. For a building removed from general acute care service to be eligible for a change in jurisdiction to the local enforcing agency, all the following criteria shall be satisfied:
a. The building removed from general acute care ser-
vice shall be freestanding, as defined in the Califor- nia Administrative Code, Section 7-111.
3A-12 2022 CALIFORNIA EXISTING BUILDING CODE
Copyright © 2022 by, or licensed to, International Code Council, Inc. (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED); licensed to California Building Standards Commission pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions is authorized. Any unauthorized reproduction or distribution is a violation of the federal copyright act and the license agreement, and subject to civil and criminal penalties thereunder.
b. Any hospital support services located in the building
removed from general acute care service, including administrative services, central sterile supply, stor- age, morgue and autopsy, employee dressing rooms and lockers, janitorial and housekeeping service, and laundry, shall be in excess of the minimum requirements for licensure and operation. Prior approval by the California Department of Public Health shall be obtained by hospital to locate these services in the building removed from general acute care service.
c. Services/systems and utilities (e.g., power, emer-
gency power, communication/data/nurse-call sys- tems, space-heating systems, fire alarm system, fire- sprinkler system, medical gas & plumbing systems) shall be separate and independent from those serv- ing any buildings under OSHPD jurisdiction.
d. If the building being transferred to the jurisdiction
of the local enforcing agency is adjacent to a build- ing under OSHPD jurisdiction and fire-resistive construction separations are required, they shall be located in the building under OSHPD jurisdiction.
312A.5.2 Modification of b uildings removed from OSHPD jurisdiction. The owner of the building shall be responsible for bringing the building into compliance with all requirements of the new authority having jurisdiction. If a building requires modification to become eligible for removal from OSHPD jurisdiction, the construction proj- ect shall be closed with compliance by OSHPD prior to the change in jurisdiction. All occupancy separation, set- back and allowable area requirements shall be enforced.
r bringing the building into compliance with_ all requirements of the new authority having jurisdiction. If a building requires modification to become eligible for removal from OSHPD jurisdiction, the construction proj- ect shall be closed with compliance by OSHPD prior to the change in jurisdiction. All occupancy separation, set- back and allowable area requirements shall be enforced.
312A.5.3 Buildings not eligible for change in jurisdic- tion. The following freestanding buildings shall remain under OSHPD jurisdiction:
PROVISIONS FOR ALL COMPLIANCE METHODS
312A.7 Demolition. Demolition of SPC buildings to be¶
removed from general acute care services shall be permitted when buildings remaining under OSHPD’s jurisdiction, after demolition, satisfy the requirements of the California Build- ing Standards Code and demolition activity does not impair the operation and/or safety of any buildings that remain under the OSHPD’s jurisdiction. Demolition shall be in accordance with California Building Code Section 3303.
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Ask AI about this code▸Contents — California Existing Building Code (Title 24, Part 10)
- Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS
- Appendix A — GUIDELINES FOR
- Appendix B — SUPPLEMENTARY
- Appendix C — GUIDELINES FOR THE WIND
- Appendix D — BOARD OF
- Chapter 1 — SCOPE AND ADMINISTRATION
▸Chapter 3 — PROVISIONS FOR ALL COMPLIANCE METHODS
Overview- Section 301
- Section 302
- Section 304
- Section 303
- Section 305
- Section 306
- Section 309
- Section 310 — [OSHPD 1R, 2 and 5]
- Section 311 — [OSHPD 1R, 2 and 5]
- Section 307
- Section 308
- Section 312 — [OSHPD 1R]
- Section 313 — [SFM]
- Section 314 — [SFM]
- Section 315 — [SFM]
- Section 316 — [SFM]
- Section 317
- Section 319
- Section 318
- Section 320
- Section 321
- Section 322
- Section 323 — [DSA-SS, DSA-SS/CC]
- Section 301A
- Section 302A
- Section 303A
- Section 304A
- Section 305A
- Section 306A
- Section 307A — 309 A
- Section 310A
- Section 311A
- Section 312A
- Section 313A
- Chapter 4 — REPAIRS
- Chapter 5 — PRESCRIPTIVE COMPLIANCE METHOD
- Chapter 6 — CLASSIFICATION OF WORK
- Chapter 7 — ALTERATIONS—LEVEL 1
- Chapter 8 — ALTERATIONS—LEVEL 2
- Chapter 9 — ALTERATIONS—LEVEL 3
- Chapter 10 — CHANGE OF OCCUPANCY
- Chapter 11 — ADDITIONS
- Chapter 12 — HISTORIC BUILDINGS
- Chapter 13 — PERFORMANCE COMPLIANCE METHODS
- Chapter 14 — RELOCATED OR MOVED BUILDINGS
- Chapter 15 — CONSTRUCTION SAFEGUARDS
- Chapter 16 — REFERENCED STANDARDS