Minimum sanitation and safety requirements

1. The operator shall ensure that the preschool's bathroom sinks, toilets, tables, chairs, and floors are cleaned daily. Cots and mats, if used, must be maintained in a clean, sanitary condition. 2. The operator shall ensure that the preschool's building, grounds, and equipment are located, cleaned, and maintained to protect the health and safety of children. The operator shall establish routine maintenance and cleaning procedures to protect the health of the children and staff members. 3. The operator shall ensure that in preschools licensed for more than thirty children, where meals are prepared, comply with the public health division of the department child care food service establishment license requirements pursuant to North Dakota Century Code chapter 23-09. If only snacks or occasional cooking projects are prepared, an inspection by the public health division of the department is not required. The operator shall correct any code violations noted by the health inspector and shall file reports of the inspections and corrections made with the department. 4. The operator shall ensure that indoor and outdoor equipment, toys, and supplies are safe, strong, nontoxic, and in good repair. The operator shall ensure that all toys and equipment are kept clean and in a 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 operator 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 the local fire authorities. When the preschool is occupied by children, the room temperature may not be less than sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit [18 degrees Celsius] and not more than seventy-five degrees Fahrenheit [24 degrees Celsius]. 6. The operator 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. 7. The operator shall ensure that potential hazards, such as noncovered electrical outlets, guns, cleaning chemicals, uninsulated wires, medicines, and poisonous plants are not accessible to children. The operator shall keep guns and ammunition in locked storage, each separate from the other, or shall use trigger locks. The operator shall ensure other weapons and dangerous sporting equipment, such as bows and arrows, are not accessible to children. 8. The operator shall ensure that indoor floors and steps are not slippery and do not have splinters. The operator shall ensure that steps and walkways are kept free from accumulations of water, ice, snow, or debris. 9. The operator shall ensure that elevated areas including stairs and porches have railings and safety gates where necessary to prevent falls. 10. The operator shall take steps to keep the preschool 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 preschool. Insect repellant may be applied outdoors on children with written parental permission. 11. The operator shall ensure that combustible materials are kept away from light bulbs and other heat sources. 12. The operator shall ensure that exit doorways and pathways are not blocked. 13. An operator shall ensure that all preschool 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. 14. Staff members responsible for caring for or teaching children shall strictly supervise wading pools used by the preschool and shall empty, clean, and sanitize wading pools daily. 15. All swimming pools used by children must be approved annually by the local health unit. 16. Aquatic activities: a. An operator shall have policies that ensure the health and safety of children in care while participating in aquatic activities, including types of aquatic activities the preschool 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 operator 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. 17. Pets and animals. a. The operator 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 operator shall ensure that animals are maintained in good health and appropriately immunized. Pet immunizations must be documented with a current certificate from a veterinarian. c. The operator shall ensure parents are aware of the presence of pets and animals in the preschool. d. The operator 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 closely supervise all contact between pets or animals and children. The staff member shall remove the pet or animal immediately if the pet or animal shows signs of distress or the child shows signs of treating the pet or animal inappropriately. f. The operator shall ensure that pets, pet feeding dishes, cages, and litter boxes are not present in any food preparation, food storage, or serving areas. The operator shall ensure that pet and animal feeding dishes and litter boxes are not placed in areas accessible to children. g. The operator shall ensure that indoor and outdoor areas accessible to children are free of animal excrement. h. The operator shall ensure that the preschool is in compliance with all applicable state and local ordinances regarding the number, type, and health status of pets or animals. 18. 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. 19. The operator shall ensure that soiled or wet clothes or diapers are stored in a sanitary, covered container, separate from other garbage and waste until removed from the preschool facility.