Final answer:
A nursing facility fire protection standards are specified by the Life Safety Code (NFPA 101), which includes detailed regulations designed to protect lives from fire and smoke in healthcare facilities.
Step-by-step explanation:
A nursing facility fire protection standards are specified by the Life Safety Code. The Life Safety Code, also known by its document name, NFPA 101, is published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). It is a standard that provides strategies to protect lives from fire and smoke. Within a nursing facility, following the Life Safety Code is essential to ensure that proper fire safeguarding measures are in place, which includes adequate means of egress, fire alarms, and sprinkler systems.
While the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has the authority to issue workplace health and safety regulations, which can include aspects of fire protection, it is the Life Safety Code that specifically provides the regulations for a nursing facility's fire protection. OSHA's role is to ensure that workplaces are safe from various hazards, which may include—but is not necessarily specific to—the detailed fire protection strategies in the Life Safety Code.
The Life Safety Code is essential for healthcare facilities such as nursing homes, as it provides comprehensive measures tailored to the unique requirements of these types of settings for both residents and staff safety.