North Dakota Administrative Code
Title 75 - Department of Human Services
Article 75-03 - Community Services
Chapter 75-03-09 - Group Child Care Early Childhood Services
Section 75-03-09-18 - Minimum sanitation and safety requirements

Universal Citation: ND Admin Code ยง 75-03-09-18

Current through Supplement No. 394, October, 2024

1. The provider shall ensure that the group child care bathroom sinks, toilets, tables, chairs, and floors are cleaned daily.

2. The provider shall ensure that the group child care building, grounds, and equipment are located, cleaned, and maintained to protect the health and safety of children. Routine maintenance and cleaning procedures must be established to protect the health of the children and the staff members.

3. Staff members and children shall wash their hands, according to recommendations by the federal centers for disease control and prevention, before preparing or serving meals, after diapering, after using toilet facilities, and after any other procedure that may involve contact with bodily fluids. Hand soap and sanitary hand-drying equipment, individually designated cloth towels, or paper towels must be available at each sink.

4. The provider shall ensure that indoor and outdoor equipment, toys, and supplies are safe, strong, nontoxic, and in good repair. The provider shall ensure that all toys and equipment are kept clean and in sanitary condition. Books and other toys that are not readily cleanable must be sanitized as much as possible without damaging the integrity or educational value of the item.

5. The provider shall ensure that the group child care ground areas are free from accumulations of refuse, standing water, unprotected wells, debris, flammable material, and other health and safety hazards.

6. The provider shall ensure that garbage stored outside is kept away from areas used by children and is kept in containers with lids. Open burning is not permitted. The provider shall keep indoor garbage in covered containers. The provider may allow paper waste to be kept in open waste containers.

7. The provider shall ensure that exterior play areas in close proximity to busy streets and other unsafe areas are contained or fenced, or have natural barriers, to restrict children from those unsafe areas. Outdoor play areas must be inspected daily for hazards and necessary maintenance.

8. The provider shall ensure that potential hazards, such as noncovered electrical outlets, guns, household cleaning chemicals, uninsulated wires, medicines, and poisonous plants are not accessible to children. The provider shall keep guns and ammunition in locked storage, each separate from the other, or shall use trigger locks. The provider shall ensure other weapons and dangerous sporting equipment, such as bows and arrows, are not accessible to children.

9. The provider shall ensure that indoor floors and steps are not slippery and do not have splinters. The provider shall ensure that accumulations of water, ice, snow, or debris are removed from steps and walkways as quickly as possible.

10. The provider shall ensure that elevated areas, including stairs and porches, have railings and safety gates where necessary to prevent falls.

11. The provider shall take steps to keep the group child care free of insects and rodents. Chemicals for insect and rodent control may not be applied in areas accessible to children when children are present in the group child care. Insect repellant may be applied outdoors on children with parental permission.

12. The provider shall ensure that exit doorways and pathways are not blocked.

13. The provider shall ensure that light bulbs in areas used by children are properly shielded or shatterproof.

14. The provider shall ensure that combustible materials are kept away from light bulbs and other heat sources.

15. The provider shall ensure adequate heating, ventilation, humidity, and lighting for the comfort and protection of the health of the children. All heating devices must be approved by local fire authorities. During the heating season when the group child care is occupied by children, the room temperature must not be less than sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit [18 degrees Celsius] and not more than seventy-five degrees Fahrenheit [24 degrees Celsius].

16. A provider shall ensure that all group child care buildings erected before January 1, 1970, which contain painted surfaces in a peeling, flaking, chipped, or chewed condition in any area where children may be present, have painted surfaces repainted or shall submit evidence that the paints or finishes do not contain hazardous levels of lead-bearing substances. For the purposes of this chapter, "hazardous levels of lead-bearing substances" means any paint, varnish, lacquer, putty, plaster, or similar coating of structural material which contains lead or its compounds in excess of seven-tenths of one milligram per square centimeter, or in excess of five-tenths of one percent in the dried film or coating, when measured by a lead-detecting instrument approved by the department of environmental quality.

17. The provider shall ensure that personal items, including combs, pacifiers, and toothbrushes, are individually identified and stored in a sanitary manner.

18. Pets and animals.

a. The provider shall ensure that only small pets that are contained in an aquarium or other approved enclosed container, cats, and dogs are present in areas occupied by children. Wire cages are not approved containers. Other indoor pets and animals must be restricted by a solid barrier and must not be accessible to children. The department may restrict any pet or animal from the premises that may pose a risk to children or may approve additional pets that do not pose a health or safety risk to children.

b. The provider shall ensure that animals are maintained in good health and are appropriately immunized. Pet immunizations must be documented with a current certificate from a veterinarian.

c. The provider shall ensure parents are aware of the presence of pets and animals in the group child care.

d. The provider shall notify parents immediately if a child is bitten or scratched and skin is broken.

e. A staff member responsible for caring for or teaching children shall supervise closely all contact between pets or animals and children. The staff member shall immediately remove the pet if the pet or animal shows signs of distress or the child shows signs of treating the pet or animal inappropriately.

f. The provider shall ensure that pets, pet feeding dishes, cages, and litter boxes are not present in any food preparation, food storage, or serving areas. The provider shall ensure that pet and animal feeding dishes and litter boxes are not placed in areas accessible to children.

g. The provider shall ensure that indoor and outdoor areas accessible to children must be free of animal excrement.

h. The provider shall ensure that the group child care is in compliance with all applicable state and local ordinances regarding the number, type, and health status of pets or animals.

19. Staff members responsible for caring for or teaching children shall strictly supervise wading pools used by the group child care and shall empty, clean, and sanitize wading pools daily.

20. All swimming pools used by children must be approved annually by the local health unit.

21. Aquatic activities:

a. The provider shall have policies that ensure the health and safety of children in care while participating in aquatic activities, including types of aquatic activities the group child care may participate in, staff-to-child ratios appropriate to the ages and swimming ability of children participating in aquatic activities, and additional safety precautions to be taken.

b. The provider may not permit any child to participate in an aquatic activity without written parental permission, which includes parent disclosure of the child's swimming ability.

22. The provider shall ensure that beds, cots, mats, or cribs, complete with a mattress or pad, are available and the provider shall ensure:

a. Pillows and mattresses have clean coverings.

b. Sheets and pillowcases are changed as often as necessary for cleanliness and hygiene, at least weekly.

c. If beds, cots, mats, or cribs are used by different children, sheets and pillowcases are laundered before use by other children.

d. Cots, mats, or cribs are cleaned as often as necessary for cleanliness and hygiene, at least weekly, and after each use if used by different children;

e. That cots, mats, and cribs are single occupancy.

f. Each bed, cot, or mat has sufficient blankets available.

g. That aisles between beds, cots, mats, or cribs are a minimum space of two feet [60.96 centimeters] and are kept free of all obstructions while beds, cots, mats, or cribs are occupied.

h. Provide separate storage for personal blankets or coverings.

i. That mattresses and sheets are properly fitted.

General Authority: NDCC 50-11.1-08

Law Implemented: NDCC 50-11.1-01, 50-11.1-04, 50-11.1-07, 50-11.1-08

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. North Dakota may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.