Ariz. Admin. Code § 9-3-504

Current through Register Vol. 30, No. 50, December 13, 2024

Section R9-3-504 - Fire Safety, Gas Safety, and Emergency Standards

A. A certificate holder shall ensure that:

1. The house number of the child care group home's residence is painted or posted on the premises so that it is visible from the street;

2. A smoke detector is installed in each indoor area of the child care group home approved for providing child care services and in each hallway of the child care group home's residence;

3. Each smoke detector required under subsection (A)(2):

a. Is maintained in an operable condition; and

b. Is either battery operated or, if hard-wired into the electrical system of the child care group home's residence, has a back-up battery;

4. The child care group home's residence has at least two portable fire extinguishers:

a. One of which is labeled as rated at least 1A-10-BC by the Underwriters Laboratories is mounted on the kitchen wall and is easily accessible, and

b. One of which is labeled as rated at least 2A-10-BC by the Underwriters Laboratories and is maintained in a location accessible to staff members in an area of the child care group home approved for providing child care services;

5. Each electrical outlet in an area of the child care group home approved for providing child care services is covered with a safety plug cover or insert when not in use;

6. An appliance, light, or other device with a frayed or spliced electrical cord is not used at the child care group home;

7. An electrical cord, including an extension cord, is not run under a rug or carpeting, over a nail, or from one room to another at the child care group home;

8. Each electrical, cable, or telephone outlet at the child care group home is covered with a face plate;

9. A wood-burning stove, the interior of a fireplace, or a chiminea is inaccessible to enrolled children when in use;

10. An unvented space heater or open-flame space heater is not used in the child care group home's residence during hours of operation;

11. An electric portable heater is not used in the child care group home's residence during hours of operation unless the electric portable heater:

a. Has:

i. Either a non-porous casing or a grill with a mesh small enough to prevent cloth or a child's finger from entering the casing,

ii. A tilt switch that shuts off power to the electric portable heater if the electric portable heater tips over,

iii. An automatic shutoff control to prevent overheating, and

iv. A thermostat control; and

b. Is plugged directly into a wall outlet;

12. A candle or incense is not burned in the child care group home's residence during hours of operation; and

13. Smoking is not permitted in the residence during hours of operation or in the presence or sight of enrolled children.

B. A certificate holder shall ensure that a staff member:

1. Tests the battery for each smoke detector required under subsection (A)(2) each month,

2. Makes a record of each test performed,

3. Replaces a smoke detector battery that is no longer charged, and

4. Maintains the record of the test on the premises for 12 months after the date of the test.

C. A certificate holder shall:

1. Replace a disposable fire extinguisher when its indicator reaches the red zone; and

2. Ensure that each rechargeable fire extinguisher in the child care group home's residence:

a. Is serviced at least once every 12 months, and

b. Has a tag attached to the fire extinguisher that specifies the date of the last servicing and the identification of the person who serviced the fire extinguisher.

D. If there are gas pipes that run from a gas meter to an appliance or location on the premises:

1. Before an applicant for a child care group home is issued a certificate by the Department, the applicant shall obtain a gas inspection report by a licensed plumber or individual authorized by the local jurisdiction that verifies there are no gas leaks in the gas pipes that run from the gas meter to any appliance or location on the premises; and

2. A certificate holder shall ensure that:

a. Each unused natural gas outlet at the child care group home has its valves removed by and is capped at the wall or floor by a licensed plumber or individual authorized by the local jurisdiction;

b. A licensed plumber or individual authorized by the local jurisdiction conducts a gas inspection that verifies there are no gas leaks in the gas pipes that run from the gas meter to any appliance or location on the premises at least once every 12 months after the date of the certificate; and

c. A copy of a current gas inspection report, including documentation of any repairs or corrections required by the gas inspection report, is maintained on the premises.

E. A certificate holder shall:

1. Prepare a fire and emergency plan, consisting of:

a. The child care group home's address and telephone number;

b. A list of emergency telephone numbers, including 9-1-1 and a poison control center;

c. A document or documents that include the contact telephone number for a parent of each enrolled child; and

d. An evacuation plan for the child care group home, including a floor plan of the child care group home's residence on which lines have been drawn showing the evacuation path from each area of the child care group home approved for providing child care services;

2. Maintain the fire and emergency plan in a location accessible to staff members; and

3. Post a copy of the floor plan showing the evacuation paths from the residence in each indoor area of the child care group home approved for providing child care services.

F. A certificate holder shall ensure that:

1. An unannounced fire and emergency evacuation drill are:

a. At least once each month; and

b. Each fire drill and emergency evacuation drill is conducted at a different time of day than the fire and emergency evacuation drill conducted in the previous month;

2. During the fire and emergency evacuation drill, each staff member and enrolled child at the child care group home is evacuated from the child care group home according to the evacuation plan;

3. A record is made of each fire and emergency evacuation drill, including:

a. The date of the fire and emergency evacuation drill, and

b. The time of the fire and emergency evacuation drill; and

4. The record of the fire and emergency evacuation drill is maintained on the premises for 12 months after the date of the fire and emergency evacuation drill.

Ariz. Admin. Code § R9-3-504

New Section made by final rulemaking at 10 A.A.R. 1214, effective September 1, 2004 (Supp. 04-1). Amended by exempt rulemaking at 17 A.A.R. 1530, effective September 30, 2011 (Supp. 11-3). Amended by final expedited rulemaking at 26 A.A.R. 1969, effective 9/2/2020.