Licensing Standards for DayCare Centers

Section 418.12
Safety

(a) Suitable precautions must be taken to eliminate all conditions, which may contribute to or create a safety hazard.

(b) A written plan for the emergency evacuation of children from the premises which has been developed by the day care and must be posted in a conspicuous place in the center. The emergency evacuation plan must address such topics as appropriate notification of police and fire departments, taking attendance, methods of evacuating children, alternate means of egress, protection of children once they are evacuated and assignments of employees and volunteers during the evacuation process. Roll call of the children must be taken after any emergency evacuation. Primary emphasis must be placed on the immediate evacuation of the children.

(c) Portable electric heaters or other portable heating devices may not be used in rooms accessible to children regardless of the type of fuel used. Rooms containing heaters or furnaces must be separated from the areas accessible to children by approved fire resistant material in the walls, ceilings, connecting doors and door frames.

(d) Radiators and pipes located in rooms occupied by children must be covered to protect children from injury.

(e) Porches, decks and stairs must have railings with posts. These posts must be spaced close enough together to prevent children from falling between them.

(f) Stairs, walkways, ramps and porches must be maintained free from ice, snow and other hazards.

(g) Day care centers must provide and use barriers to restrict children from unsafe areas. Such areas include, but are not limited to, swimming pools, open drainage ditches, wells, holes, wood and coal burning stoves' fireplaces and gas space heaters.

(h) Swimming and wading pools and areas adjacent thereto used by the children must be constructed, maintained, staffed and used in such a manner as will safeguard the lives and health of children and must be operated in accordance with all applicable State and local laws.

(i) Protective caps or covers must be used on all electrical outlets that are accessible to children.

(j) All matches, lighters, medicines, drugs, cleaning materials, detergents, aerosol cans and other poisonous or toxic materials must be stored in their original containers and used in such a way that they will not contaminate play surfaces, food or food preparation areas or constitute a hazard to children. Such materials must be kept in a place inaccessible to children. Furnace rooms cannot be used for the storage of combustible materials.

(k) Indoor and outdoor plants hazardous to children must not be accessible to children.

(l) Any pet or animal kept indoors or outdoors at the day care center must be in good health, show no evidence of carrying disease and pose no threat to children. This provision also applies to those pets or animals present at the center which do not belong to the operator, employees or volunteers of the center.

(m) The day care center must have immediate access to a minimum of one single-line telephone for general use and emergencies. Telephone numbers for local fire departments, local and/or State police, physicians or other providers of medical services for children in care, ambulance services, local hospitals, poison control centers and any other local providers of emergency services that the center may need to contact must be posted conspicuously on or adjacent to all telephones.

(n) Outdoor equipment such as swings, slides and climbing apparatus must be anchored firmly to the ground, be in good repair and be placed in a safe location. Such equipment and apparatus may be used only by children for whom it is developmentally appropriate.

(o) Furniture must be safe and arranged in such a way as to not present hazards to children.

(p) Clear glass panels in doors must be marked clearly to avoid accidental impact. Clear glass in outside windows less than 32 inches above the first floor level must be of safety grade or otherwise protected by use of barriers or locking devices to avoid accidents.

(q) An operable flashlight or battery powered lantern must be kept in the child care area. Such equipment must be properly maintained for use in the event of a power failure.

(r) Where child care is provided on floors above the first floor, windows on floors above the first floor must be protected by barriers or locking devices to prevent children from falling out of the windows.

(s) Every closet door latch must be constructed to enable children to open the door from inside the closet.

(t) Styrofoam objects, plastic bags and toys and objects with small removable parts must not be accessible to children who are placing objects in their mouths.

(u) Every bathroom door lock must be designed to permit opening of the locked door from outside in an emergency. The opening device must be readily accessible to the staff.

(v) High chairs, when used, must have a wide base. A safety strap must be used on children who are seated in high chairs.

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