Header:
NEW YORK CODES, RULES AND REGULATIONS
TITLE 18. DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
CHAPTER II. REGULATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
SUBCHAPTER C. SOCIAL SERVICES
ARTICLE 2. FAMILY AND CHILDREN'S SERVICES
PART 418. DAY CARE CENTERS
S
Date:
08/31/2009
Document:
ยง 418-1.4 Fire protection
(a) Suitable precautions must be taken to eliminate all conditions which may contribute to or create a fire hazard.
(b) Evacuation drills must be conducted at least monthly during various hours of operation of the child day care center. If evening and/or night care is provided, such drills must be conducted monthly during each shift of care in accordance with the recommendations of the local fire marshal or fire department. A record of these drills must be kept on file using forms furnished by the Office or approved equivalents.
(c) Fire detection, alarm and fire fighting equipment appropriate to the type of building construction, size, height and occupancy must be provided. Programs located in public school buildings inspected by the State Education Department are exempt from the requirements of subparagraphs (i) and (ii) of paragraph (1) of this subdivision.
(1) Such equipment must include at least:
(i) one fire extinguisher for every 3,000 square feet of space;
(ii) an automatic interconnected fire detection alarm system with:
(a) smoke-sensing type devices throughout exitways, and
(b) heat-sensing type devices or a water sprinkler alarm system in furnace rooms and any other unsupervised spaces within the building which contain fire-hazardous materials; and
(iii) manually activated fire alarm stations.
(2) All fire alarm and detection systems must be inspected, tested and maintained in accordance with the applicable requirements of the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code. All such inspections, testing and maintenance must be conducted by service personnel licensed by the New York State Department of State to perform fire alarm systems maintenance, repair and testing. All program staff must be instructed in the function and operation of fire alarm and detection systems used in the child day care center.
(3) All fire suppression equipment and systems must be tested and maintained in accordance with the applicable requirements of the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code. All such inspections, testing and maintenance must be conducted by service personnel qualified to perform fire suppression systems maintenance, repair and testing. Staff must be instructed in the function and operation of fire suppression equipment and systems used in the child day care center.
(d) Adequate means of egress must be provided. Children may be cared for only on such floors as are provided with readily accessible alternate means of egress to other floors, in the case of fire-resistant buildings, and to the outside in the case of non-fire-resistant buildings. Such means of egress must be remote from each other.
(e) All corridors, aisles, and approaches to exits must be kept unobstructed at all times.
(f) Exit stairways must be equipped with low railings for the use of the children.
(g) Steam or hot water boilers must be inspected and approved in accordance with the requirements of the New York State Department of Labor by an inspector from the New York State Department of Labor, or by an insurance company which is licensed to write boiler insurance in the State. All other fuel burning heating systems and equipment and boilers not subject to the New York State Department of Labor requirements must be serviced by a heating contractor once every 24 months.
(h) Rooms containing boilers, fuel burning furnaces or other fuel burning heating equipment must be constructed using a minimum of one-hour fire resistant materials or materials of a greater fire resistance when required by the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code. Unless it is determined by the Office or local fire safety officials that the current heating equipment poses an imminent danger to the health and safety of children in care, those facilities which were licensed and operating on June 1, 2001 which are not in compliance with the requirement for one-hour fire resistant construction must make necessary changes in order to comply with the requirement no later than January 1, 2004. Upon a determination by the Office or local fire safety official that an imminent danger exists, such changes must be made immediately.
(i) Trash, garbage and combustible materials must not be stored in the furnace room or in rooms or outdoor areas adjacent to the facility that are ordinarily occupied by or accessible to children.
(j) The director or a designated qualified staff member must conduct monthly inspections of the premises to observe possible fire or safety hazards. Any such hazard must be corrected immediately. A record of all inspections and all corrections must be maintained at the program.
|