Certified Healthcare Facility Manager (CHFM) Practice

The requirement for doors in new health care occupancy to be self-closing is crucial for maintaining safety and compliance with fire protection standards. Self-closing doors play a significant role in preventing the spread of smoke and fire within health care facilities, thus increasing overall safety for patients, staff, and visitors.

In new health care buildings, self-closing doors are typically mandated as part of life safety code regulations. These doors automatically close after being opened, ensuring that compartments remain isolated and minimizing the risk of smoke and flame movement between different areas of the facility. This is particularly important in a healthcare setting where vulnerable populations, such as patients with limited mobility, are present.

While other door features like smoke resistance ratings, manual operation, and closing force requirements are important in various circumstances, the self-closing requirement specifically addresses fire safety concerns that are often prioritized in the design and construction of new health care facilities. Therefore, this distinguishes new health care occupancy standards from those for existing facilities that may not have been initially designed with the same stringent fire safety measures in mind.