Current through Vol. 42, No. 1, September 16, 2024
(a)
General. When obtaining and
maintaining basic and play equipment, requirements in this Section are met.
(1)
Type and quantity. Equipment
is:
(A) of appropriate type and size meeting
the age group and individual children's needs for physical, cognitive,
emotional and social development; and
(B) provided in type and quantity, per
Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC) 340 Appendix MM - Equipment.
(2)
Condition.
Equipment is:
(A) safely constructed,
including lead free;
(B) installed,
maintained, and used, per manufacturer's instructions;
(C) maintained in a safe condition preventing
hazards, such as tipping over, splinters, loose parts, protrusions, and sharp
edges;
(D) complete and in good
working condition and repair, including no holes or tears; and
(E) clean and sanitary, per OAC
340:110-3-304.
(3)
Evaluate. The
program:
(A) evaluates equipment for required
quantity and safety on an ongoing basis; and
(B) conducts an equipment inventory at least
every 12 months. Documentation is maintained, per OAC
340:110-3-281.2(c).
(b)
Rest
equipment. Safe and appropriate use of rest equipment is met, per OAC
340:110-3-296.
(1)
Mats. Each individual mat is
at least one-inch thick and covered with a durable, washable, waterproof,
form-fitting material. Inflatable mats are not used for rest time.
(2)
Cots. Cots are able to be
cleaned and sanitized.
(3)
Cribs. Cribs, including portable cribs that can be folded or
collapsed without being disassembled:
(A) meet
the current Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) full-size and
non-full-size crib standards. Documentation is maintained, per OAC
340:110-3-281.2(c);
and
(B) have a mattress that is:
(i) firm;
(ii) designed to fit the specific crib, with
one inch or less between the mattress and crib; and
(iii) covered with a durable, washable,
waterproof, form-fitting material.
(4)
Play yards. Play yards, such
as playpens and pack-n-plays, are made of mesh, fabric, or other non-rigid
construction.
(A) Play yards are prohibited in
programs licensed on or after January 1, 2016.
(B) Existing play yards may be used in
programs licensed before January 1, 2016, provided these requirements are met.
However, additional or replacement play yards are not obtained after this date.
(i) The pad is manufactured for the specific
play yard.
(ii) The equipment has:
(I) mesh less than 1/4 inch in size, smaller
than baby clothing buttons;
(II)
securely attached material at the top rail and floor plate;
(III) no tears, holes, or loose threads that
could entangle a child; and
(IV) no
missing, loose, or exposed staples.
(c)
Indoor play
equipment. Safe and appropriate use of indoor play equipment, including
access, rotation, use zones, and impact-absorbing materials, is met, per OAC
340:110-3-289(f) and
(g) and
340:110-3-301(b).
(d)
Outdoor play equipment. Safe
and appropriate use of outdoor play equipment, including open area arrangement,
use zones, and impact-absorbing materials, is met, per OAC
340:110-3-301(c).
(1)
Safe design. Equipment does
not have:
(A) angles or openings between three
and one-half inches and nine inches that could entrap any part of a child's
body including his or her head, such as ladder rungs and steering
wheels;
(B) exposed moving parts
with pinch, crush, or shear points, such as rotating devices with exposed gears
or axle assemblies and teeter-totter hinges; and
(C) swing seats made of hard or heavy
materials. Swing seats are constructed of durable, lightweight, relatively
pliable material, such as nylon webbing, rubber, or plastic.
(2)
Stability.
Equipment can withstand the maximum anticipated forces generated by active use
preventing overturning, tipping, or sliding. Anchors, when used, pose no hazard
to children.
(e)
Prohibited equipment. Prohibited equipment is not on-site, unless
the shared facility requirements, per (f) of this Section apply.
(1)
Diaper changing equipment.
Prohibited diaper changing equipment includes diaper changing attachments
contained in pack-n-plays.
(2)
Rest equipment. Prohibited rest equipment includes:
(A) bassinets, including bassinet attachments
in pack-n-plays;
(B) stacked cribs;
and
(C) play yards, when
applicable, per (b) of this Section, including when children are
awake.
(3)
Play
equipment. Prohibited play equipment includes:
(A) infant walkers;
(B) heavy metal or molded plastic swings,
such as animal figures;
(C)
swinging gates used as play equipment; and
(D) trampolines except for mini-trampolines
or mini-rebounders:
(i) having a diameter of
three feet or less, padded handle, and safety pad cover; and
(ii) used only by children 3 years of age and
older with adult supervision.
(f)
Prohibited and non-compliant
equipment - shared facility. When prohibited equipment, per (e) of this
Section, or equipment not meeting the requirements, including inappropriate use
zones and impact-absorbing materials, are on-site due to the program sharing
the facility, the requirements in (1) and (2) of this subsection are met.
(1)
Inaccessible. The equipment
is made inaccessible when possible, or a Licensing-approved written plan
addressing a method ensuring the equipment is not used by children is
followed.
(2)
Capacity. The area taken by the prohibited and non-compliant
equipment does not count toward the licensed capacity, classroom capacity, or
outdoor play area capacity.
