New Hampshire Code of Administrative Rules
He - Department of Health and Human Services
Subtitle He-C - Commissioner, Department of Health and Human Services
Chapter He-C 4000 - CHILD CARE LICENSING RULES
Part He-C 4002 - NH CHILD CARE PROGRAM LICENSING RULES
Section He-C 4002.24 - Health and Safety Requirements for Outdoor Space

Universal Citation: NH Admin Rules He-C 4002.24

Current through Register No. 52, December 26, 2024

(a) The play area shall:

(1) Be accessible to children with disabilities;

(2) Be appropriate for each age group served, including use of toys and equipment that is age and developmentally appropriate to the needs of the children enrolled;

(3) Provide for both direct sunlight and shade; and

(4) Be free from hazards, including but not limited to:

a. Water hazards such as unprotected pools, wells, or bodies of water;

b. Animal feces;

c. Poisonous plants;

d. Broken toys, broken glass or other sharp items;

e. Chipping, peeling, or flaking paint;

f. Dangerous machinery or tools;

g. Small objects that could present a choking hazard to young children; and

h. Other dangerous items or substances.

(b) Fencing shall enclose all play areas if the department determines the play area is unsafe because it is located adjacent to:

(1) A street or road;

(2) A swimming pool or other body of water, including a river, pond, or stream;

(3) An active railroad track or crossing;

(4) Sharp inclines or embankments; or

(5) Any dangerous area.

(1) Have no gaps greater than 4 inches and be designed to restrain preschool children from climbing out of, over, under, or through the fence; and

(2) Either:

a. Be equipped with a child proof self-latching device on any gates leading to an entrance or egress; or

b. Be equipped with a child proof lock if the area is determined to be hazardous to children.

(d) The licensee shall protect outdoor play space located on a roof with a barrier at least 7 feet high, which children cannot climb.

(e) The licensee shall install suitable barriers, including but not limited to bulkhead doors, to prevent falls into outdoor stair or window wells.

(f) The department shall approve porches and decks before use as play areas.

(g) Porches and decks shall comply with the following:

(1) If they are more than three feet from ground level, there shall be protective railings in accordance with applicable building codes;

(2) Railings shall be sturdy and constructed in a way that will prevent a young child from going underneath, over, or through them;

(3) There shall be a child safety gate or other barricade on stairs whenever the porch or deck is in use by children younger than three years old; and

(4) The family child care provider, center director, or site director shall monitor the condition of porches and decks to ensure that there are no splinters, cracks, protruding nails or screws, and discontinue use of the area until repairs are complete.

(h) For outdoor play equipment that would allow a child to fall from a height of more than 29 inches, programs shall:

(1) Equip and maintain the ground area under and extending at least 39 inches beyond the external limits of such equipment with an energy absorptive surface; and

(2) Utilize an energy absorptive surface, required by (1) above, that:

a. Does not present a choking hazard if used by children younger than 3 years;

b. Is checked and ranked regularly to remove any foreign matter, correct compaction, and increase absorption; and

c. Is a unitary surface documented by the manufacturer as being in compliance with the standards of ASTM International's "ASTM F1292 Standard Specification for Impact Attenuation of Surfacing Materials Within the Use Zone of Playground Equipment" (2018 edition), available as noted in Appendix A, and installed per manufacturer's instructions or conforms with Table 4.2.1 below:

Table 4.2.1 Energy Absorptive Surface

Fall Height of Equipment	Wood Chips	Bark Mulch	Engineered Wood Fibers	Fine Sand	Coarse Sand	Fine Gravel	Medium Gravel	Shredded Tires
30 inches to 5 feet	6 inch	6 inch	6 inch	6 inch	6 inch	6 inch	6 inch	6 inch
6 feet	6 inch	6 inch	6 inch	12 inch	12 inch	6 inch	12 inch	6 inch
7 feet	6 inch	9 inch	9 inch	12 inch	N/A	9 inch	N/A	6 inch
8 feet	9 inch	9 inch	12 inch	12 inch	N/A	12 inch	N/A	6 inch
9 feet	9 inch	9 inch	12 inch	12 inch	N/A	12 inch	N/A	6 inch
10 feet	9 inch	9 inch	12 inch	N/A	N/A	12 inch	N/A	6 inch
11 feet	12 inch	12 inch	12 inch	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	6 inch

(i) To prevent injury, programs shall not allow children to play on equipment or structures that require energy absorptive material pursuant to (h) above when the energy absorptive material is compacted and unable to be loosened, such as when frozen.

(j) All fencing, balusters, handrails, and guardrails, or slats on lofts, stairways, decks, porches, or balconies that are accessible to children shall be constructed and maintained to prevent entrapment hazards.

(k) All swimming pools on the premises of the child care program and used as part of the child care operations shall be clean and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's or installer's printed instructions regarding cleaning, filtration, and chemical treatment.

(l) All swimming pools on the premises of the child care program shall be inaccessible to children in accordance with the following:

(1) In-ground pools shall be enclosed by a fence with a gate equipped with a child proof, self-latching device and a lock;

(2) Above ground pools shall be enclosed by a fence with a gate which has a child proof, self-latching device and a lock, or equipped with a lockable gate, lockable swing up stairway, or other lockable barrier to prevent access to the stairs or ladders, or otherwise make the pool inaccessible to children;

(3) A pool that is directly accessible from inside the building shall have a secure, lockable barrier that meets the requirements in (1) and (2) above to make the pool inaccessible to children;

(4) Pool gates, fences, or other barriers as required in (1), (2), and (3) above shall be locked during all operating hours, except when the children are involved in a supervised water activity in the pool; and

(5) The keys, combinations, or other means to open the locks required in (1) through (4) above shall not be accessible to children.

(m) Each swimming pool shall be equipped with a ring buoy, and attached rope of sufficient length to reach the center of the pool from the edge of the pool and shall not be accessible to children.

(n) Wading pools shall:

(1) Be emptied and cleaned after each use;

(2) Be stored so that water does not collect in them; and

(3) Not contain water that is more than 10 inches deep.

(o) Pursuant to 40 CFR 745 when exterior surfaces of a building built prior to 1978 are in a deteriorating condition, including but not limited to flaking, chipping, and peeling paint, or are subject to renovations or construction, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency certified Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) contractor shall be utilized, in accordance with 40 CFR 745.90(a) and (b) and He-P 1600.

(p) In addition to (o) above, until such time as the deteriorated surfaces can be made intact, the program shall provide the department with a plan, in writing, that ensures children will not have access to those surfaces and includes the expected date of completion of the work.

#4871, eff 7-24-90; ss by #5203, eff 8-16-91; ss by #6558, INTERIM, eff 8-16-97, EXPIRED: 12-14-97

New. #6719, eff 3-25-98; ss by #7294, eff 5-26-00; ss by #9160, INTERIM, eff 5-26-08, EXPIRES: 11-22-08; ss by #9310, eff 11-23-08 (from He-C 4002.26)

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