Current through March 20, 2024
The child care home must be maintained in a manner that is
safe, clean, and functional for child care. The following regulations apply to
all areas of the child care home used for child care.
007.01
Activity
Space:
The child care home must have space for children's
activities, napping, and free play. The child care activity space must:
1. Have furnishings to accommodate all
activities and age-appropriate needs of all children
in care;
2. Be available for all
children; and
3. Have at least 35
square feet of activity space per child. Rooms not used for child care do not
count in the square footage total.
007.02
Water Supply and Sewer
Requirements
1-007.02A
Water Supply: The licensee must have and maintain an
accessible, adequate, safe, and potable supply of water for drinking, bathing,
and hand washing.
1. If water is obtained
from a source other than a public water supply system, the water must not
contain contaminants that exceed the maximum contaminant levels set for
nitrate, or total coliform for public water supply systems in 179 NAC
2-002, and 179 NAC 3 or the lead
action level set in 179 NAC 12. The licensee must report to the Department the
results of all tests that show the water contains contaminants that exceed a
maximum contaminant or action level.
a. The
water supply must be tested annually and the tests results must be available
for review upon request.
b. If the
water supply does not meet nitrate, total coliform bacteria and lead standards,
the licensee must, until the contaminants are lowered to acceptable levels:
(1) Obtain water from a source approved by
the Department; or
(2) Purchase
water from a commercial source.
2. Drinking water must be provided by
sanitary drinking fountains or individual or disposable cups.
3. The licensee must maintain hot and cold
water to all hand washing and bathing locations. The hot water system must be
maintained between a minimum of 100 degrees Fahrenheit and a maximum of 120
degrees Fahrenheit. Soap must be available at the hand washing sink.
1-007.02B
Sewer
Requirements: The licensee must maintain a sanitary and
functioning sewage system which includes no open sewage discharge on the child
care premises. When the Department determines that there may be open sewage
present on the child care premises, a referral will be made to the Nebraska
Department of Environmental Quality for an inspection.
007.03
Outdoor Play
Areas:
An outdoor play area must be available. The area must:
1. Have at least 50 square feet per child of
age-appropriate play space;
2. Be
kept clean and safe and contain no accident hazards, debris, or stagnant
water;
3. Contain no barnyard
animals or fowl; and
4. Be free of
animal waste.
007.04
Fencing:
A fence is required when the following conditions exist on or
near the child care premises:
1.
Drainage ditches;
2.
Wells;
3. Holes;
4. Heavy machinery is used;
5. Railroad tracks;
6. Bodies of water, including decorative
ponds;
7. Heavy street traffic;
and
8. Other hazards.
007.05
Playground
Surfaces:
The area under climbing equipment, swings, slides, and other
equipment from which children might fall must be of resilient material such as
sand, dirt, grass, rubber matting, rubber mulch, wood chips, or small-to-medium
size gravel.
007.06
Toilets and Sinks:
The child care home must have a toilet and sink available for
children's use. Toilets and sinks must be:
1. Conveniently located;
2. Clean and in good repair;
3. Designed to accommodate children with
special needs, when applicable; and
4. Of suitable height for children or have a
safe step stool.
007.07
Fire Safety:
The child care home must maintain fire safety approval in
addition to meeting the following standards:
1. There must be two unblocked exits approved
by the Fire Marshal from every floor on which child care is provided;
2. Furnaces, wood-burning stoves, and other
heaters must be inaccessible to children when in use;
3. Candles or incense must not be used while
children are in care;
4. Open
flames must not be present while children are in care;
5. All storage areas must be free of
excessively combustible or highly flammable materials;
6. Bathroom and closet doors must be designed
so they can be unlocked from the outside;
7. There must be properly mounted and
operated smoke detection equipment as required by the Fire Marshal;
and
8. When overnight care is
provided, the licensee must ensure that additional fire safety requirements are
met as specified in 1-006.17.
