South Carolina Code of Regulations › Chapter 114 - DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES › Article 5 - LICENSING › Subarticle 1 - DAY CARE FACILITIES › REGULATIONS FOR THE LICENSING OF GROUP CHILD CARE HOMES › Section 114-517 - Physical Site

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 6, June 28, 2024
A. Indoor space and
				  conditions
(1) The operator shall provide at
				  least thirty-five (35) square feet of indoor play space per child, measured by
				  Department staff from wall to wall. Bathrooms, reception areas, isolation
				  rooms, halls and space occupied by cupboards, shelves, furniture and equipment
				  which are accessible to children for their use shall be allowable space.
				  Kitchens, storage rooms and storage cabinets used solely for or by staff shall
				  be excluded. Halls, although included in total indoor space, shall not be used
				  for activities or storage of furniture and equipment.
(2) Ventilation.
(a) Child care areas, dining areas, kitchens,
				  and bathrooms shall be ventilated by mechanical ventilation, such as fans or
				  air conditioning, or at least one operable window.
(b) If freestanding fans are used, fans shall
				  have a stable base, be equipped with protective guards and be placed in a safe
				  location.
(c) Windows, including
				  windows in doors, when utilized for ventilation purposes shall be securely
				  screened to prevent the entrance of insects.
(3) Safety glass shall be used on clear glass
				  windows and doors that are within thirty-two inches above floor level and that
				  are accessible to children. Decals shall be applied to all glass or sliding
				  patio doors and placed at eye level of the children being cared for at the
				  group child care home.
(4)
				  Lighting.
(a) Rooms, hallways, interior
				  stairs, outside steps, outside doorways, porches, ramps and fire escapes shall
				  be lighted.
(b) At least twenty
				  foot candles of light shall be required on all work surfaces in food
				  preparation, equipment washing, utensil washing, hand-washing areas, and toilet
				  rooms.
(c) Adequate, safe lighting
				  for individual activities, for corridors, and for bathrooms shall be
				  provided.
(5)
				  Environmental hazards.
(a) Safety barriers
				  shall be placed around all heating and cooling sources, such as hot water
				  pipes, fixed space heaters, wood- and coal-burning stoves, hot water heaters,
				  and radiators, that are accessible to children to prevent accidents or injuries
				  upon contact by the child.
(b)
				  Knives, lighters, matches, projectile toys, tobacco products, microwave ovens
				  and other items that could be hazardous to children shall not be accessible to
				  children.
(c) To prevent lead
				  poisoning in children, group child care homes shall meet applicable lead base
				  paint requirements, as established by DHEC.
(d) Floors, walls, ceilings, windows, doors
				  and other surfaces shall be free from hazards such as peeling paint, broken or
				  loose parts, loose or torn flooring or carpeting, pinch and crush points, sharp
				  edges, splinters, exposed bolts and openings that could cause head or limb
				  entrapment.
(e) The use of sinks,
				  equipment and utensil-washing sinks, or food preparation sinks for the cleaning
				  of garbage and refuse containers and the cleaning of mops or similar wet floor
				  cleaning tools and for the disposal of mop water or similar liquid waters is
				  prohibited.
(f) Children shall not
				  be present in the area during construction or remodeling and not in the
				  immediate area during cleaning or in such a manner as not to create a condition
				  that might result in an accident or cause harm to the health and safety of the
				  children.
(g) Microwave ovens shall
				  be inaccessible to children.
(h)
				  The following items shall be secured or inaccessible to children for whom they
				  are not age appropriate:
(i) Items that may
				  cause strangulation such as blind cords, plastic bags, necklaces, and
				  drawstrings on clothing and string;
(ii) Items that may cause suffocation such as
				  sand, beanbag chairs, pillows, soft bedding, and stuffed animals; and
(iii) Items that may cause choking such as
				  materials smaller than 1 1/4 inch in diameter, items with removable parts
				  smaller than 1 1/4 inch in diameter, Styrofoam objects and latex
				  balloons.
(6)
				  Water supply.
(a) The water supply shall meet
				  applicable requirements for water quality and testing in accordance with
				  DHEC.
(b) The group child care home
				  shall have hot and cold water under pressure. (Forty PSI recommended.) If an
				  individual private well water supply is used, the operator shall obtain
				  approval pursuant to DHEC to ensure safe location, construction, and proper
				  maintenance and operation of the system.
(c) The hot water supply shall meet
				  applicable requirements of DHEC.
(d) Safe drinking water shall be available to
				  children at all times and there shall be no use of common drinking
				  cups.
(e) If a water fountain is
				  available, it shall be of an angle-jet design, maintained in good repair and
				  kept sanitary. There shall be no possibility of mouth or nose
				  submersion.
(f) Ice used for any
				  purpose shall be made from water from an approved source. The ice shall be
				  handled and stored in a sanitary manner.
(7) Temperature.
(a) Temperature shall be maintained between
				  68 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit as appropriate to the season while children are
				  present in the group child care home.
(b) When outdoor temperature exceeds 90
				  degrees Fahrenheit, caution shall be used when children are involved in outdoor
				  physical activities.
(8)
				  Sanitation.
(a) Clean and sanitary conditions
				  shall be maintained indoors and outdoors, including indoor and outdoor
				  recreational equipment and furnishings.
(b) Measures to control insects, rodents, and
				  other vermin shall be taken to prevent harborage, breeding, and infestation of
				  the premises.
(c) All solid wastes
				  shall be disposed of at sufficient frequencies and in such a manner not to
				  create a rodent, insect, or vermin problem.
(d) Trash in diapering areas shall be kept in
				  closed, hands-free operated, plastic lined receptacles in good
				  repair.
(e) Trash in kitchen areas
				  shall be kept in closed, plastic lined receptacles.
(f) Trash in children's restrooms,
				  classrooms, and eating areas shall be kept in plastic lined
				  receptacles.
(g) Trash receptacles
				  outside the building, shall be watertight with firm fitting lids that prevent
				  the penetration of insects and rodents.
(h) Trash disposal and sewage system
				  construction and usage shall be in accordance with local standards and
				  ordinances.
(i) The use of child
				  care room, bathroom, or kitchen sinks for cleaning of trash receptacles or
				  cleaning equipment is prohibited.
(9) Doors.
(a) Protective gates shall be of the type
				  that do not block emergency entrances and exits and that prevent finger
				  pinching and head or limb entrapment.
(10) Landings, stairs, handrails, and
				  railings.
(a) Children shall not have access
				  to a door that swings open to a descending stairwell or outside steps, unless
				  there is a landing that is at least as wide as the doorway at the top of the
				  stairs.
(b) Each ramp and each
				  interior stairway and outside steps exceeding two steps shall be equipped with
				  a secure handrail at the height appropriate for the sizes of the children at
				  the group child care home.
(c)
				  Stairs shall have a nonskid surface.
(d) Each porch and deck that has over an
				  18-inch drop shall have a well-secured railing.
(e) Interior stairs that are not enclosed
				  shall have a barrier to prevent falls.
(11) Electrical sources.
(a) The group child care home shall be
				  connected with an electrical source.
(b) Electrical outlets and fixtures shall be
				  connected to the electrical source in a manner that meets local electrical
				  codes, as certified by an electrical code inspector.
(c) Electrical outlets shall be securely
				  covered with childproof covers or safety plugs when not in use in all areas
				  accessible to children.
(d) No
				  electrical device accessible to children shall be located so that it could be
				  plugged into the outlet while in contact with a water source, such as sinks,
				  tubs, shower areas, or swimming/wading pools.
(12) Bathrooms.
(a) There shall be at least one flush
				  toilet.
(b) If seat adapters are
				  used for toilet training, they shall be cleaned and sanitized after each
				  use.
(c) Toilet training equipment
				  shall be provided to children who are being toilet trained.
(d) There shall be at least one sink with hot
				  and cold running water under pressure in or near each toilet area.
(e) Toilets and sinks shall be at heights
				  accessible to the children using them or shall be equipped with safe and sturdy
				  platforms or steps.
(f) Toilets,
				  toilet seat adapters, sinks and restrooms shall be cleaned at least daily and
				  shall be in good repair.
(g) Liquid
				  or granular soap and disposable towels shall be provided at each
				  sink.
(h) Children shall not be
				  left unattended in a bathtub or shower.
(i) Easily cleanable receptacles shall be
				  provided for waste material.