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Unregistered 08:17 AM 09-24-2018
Hi everyone!
We just installed a wood stove in our home. My daycare is in our downstairs walk-out basement. Parents and kids come in through our front door and just head downstairs. The wood stove is out in the open and I am worried about the little ones getting too close. It's not an option to put a gate up around it. The only time the kids could be near it is at drop off and pick up, when they are in their parent's care. I thought about making a visible sign to put upstairs so the parents know to be watch their children around the wood stove.
Do you think that is good enough? I obviously don't want any kids getting burned!
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Cat Herder 08:24 AM 09-24-2018
Check your regs. A gate is required here.
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Blackcat31 08:29 AM 09-24-2018
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Hi everyone!
We just installed a wood stove in our home. My daycare is in our downstairs walk-out basement. Parents and kids come in through our front door and just head downstairs. The wood stove is out in the open and I am worried about the little ones getting too close. It's not an option to put a gate up around it. The only time the kids could be near it is at drop off and pick up, when they are in their parent's care. I thought about making a visible sign to put upstairs so the parents know to be watch their children around the wood stove.
Do you think that is good enough? I obviously don't want any kids getting burned!
What state are you in?
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Unregistered 08:31 AM 09-24-2018
It just says that burn hazards need to be inaccessible to children, but only our downstairs is licensed, so it wouldn't apply to our upstairs.
Maybe I should have everyone enter through the downstairs somehow!
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Unregistered 08:31 AM 09-24-2018
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
What state are you in?
Wyoming
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Blackcat31 08:46 AM 09-24-2018
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Wyoming
Do you already have this info?

https://www.daycare.com/wyoming/wyom...rements10.html
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Unregistered 08:53 AM 09-24-2018
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Do you already have this info?

https://www.daycare.com/wyoming/wyom...rements10.html
Thank you for that info! I just looked on our state site, but I guess I didn't look at the specific fire requirements. That would have been a good idea lol
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LittleExplorers 08:54 AM 09-24-2018
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
It just says that burn hazards need to be inaccessible to children, but only our downstairs is licensed, so it wouldn't apply to our upstairs.
Maybe I should have everyone enter through the downstairs somehow!

If they come in through there and have access to it, I would be very surprised if you didn't need a gate even in an unlicensed area. If they had no access at all, I could see no gate. I would put one up or enter in the basement if possible as you would be liable for burns.
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hwichlaz 09:17 AM 09-24-2018
Why is a hearth gate not an option? Is it an issue of spouse disliking it? I'd put a hearth gate around it, but not attach it to the wall, so I could fold it up and put it downstairs during non-business hours.
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hwichlaz 09:17 AM 09-24-2018
you could also use a hearth gate/baby fence, to kind of gate off the path to the downstairs....so they don't have access to the rest of the house.
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Unregistered 09:21 AM 09-24-2018
Originally Posted by hwichlaz:
Why is a hearth gate not an option? Is it an issue of spouse disliking it? I'd put a hearth gate around it, but not attach it to the wall, so I could fold it up and put it downstairs during non-business hours.
Are those smaller? It's on a 6 inch raised platform that starts from the middle of the room and goes to the other end of the room, so didn't want to get a huge gate that would take up too much room. It's close to the stairs, so don't want to cut off that walking area
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hwichlaz 09:25 AM 09-24-2018
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Are those smaller? It's on a 6 inch raised platform that starts from the middle of the room and goes to the other end of the room, so didn't want to get a huge gate that would take up too much room. It's close to the stairs, so don't want to cut off that walking area
It's just a baby fence. you can put it around the wood stove far enough away that if a little arm stuck through it couldn't touch the stove. I know it's big and in the way, but it's better than a little one needing the hospital.
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Cat Herder 11:20 AM 09-24-2018
Originally Posted by hwichlaz:
It's just a baby fence. you can put it around the wood stove far enough away that if a little arm stuck through it couldn't touch the stove. I know it's big and in the way, but it's better than a little one needing the hospital.
I agree. The time a child is in the care of a parent, on your property, is the highest risk faced.

The only injuries and escapes I have ever had were during pick-up and drop-off while in parents care. They simply don't have the same level of consequences (as childcare providers) do so don't take the same level of precaution.

What is an accident for parents is often a felony for child care providers.
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Tags:liability, risk management
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