(A)Each infant shall be provided with a separate crib. There shall be one crib available which meets the requirements of this rule for each infant in attendance at the home.

(1)Each crib shall be labeled with the infant's name who is assigned to use the crib, and shall be for the infant's exclusive use.

(2)Cribs and mattresses shall be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before assignment for use by another child.

(3)When cribs are in use, they shall be spaced apart from each other by a minimum of two feet on all sides or the cribs shall be separated by a divider and have at least two feet of space on two of the sides or ends of the crib. If a divider is used between cribs, the divider shall meet all of the following requirements:

(a)It shall be constructed of material that is constructed so thatallows staff mayto view children, is unbreakable under normal use situations and is made of a nonporous material that can be easily sanitized.

(b)The divider shall be taller than an infant standing in a crib can reach up and shall not impede child care staff member's ability to hear the child.

(4)Children thirty-five inches tall and over shall be assigned to use a cot unless written authorization for the child to remain in the crib is obtained from a physician and updated every six months.

(4)Cribs shall be defined by size as follows:

(a)"Full size crib" has an interior dimension greater than fifty-two and three-eigths inches (plus or minus five-eighth inch) in length and twenty-eight inches (plus or minus five-eighths inch) in width. With the mattress support in its lowest position and the crib side in its highest position, the vertical distance from the upper surface of the mattress support to the upper surface of the crib side or end panel shall not be less than twenty-six inches.

(i)Only children under thirty-five inches tall shall be assigned to use a full size crib.

(ii)Children thirty-five inches tall and over shall be assigned to use a cot unless written authorization is obtained by a physician and updated every six months for the child to remain in the crib.

(b)"Porta crib" has dimensions less than those specified for a full size crib. Only children under thirty inches tall shall be assigned to use a porta crib.

(c)Porta cribs with dimensions less than thirty-six inches in length and twenty-four inches in width shall not be used. With the mattress support in its lowest position and the crib side in its highest position, the vertical distance from the upper surface of the mattress support to the upper surface of the crib side or end panel shall not be less than twenty-two inches.

(5)At all times, except when the caregiver is in the process of placing, removing or soothing the infant, cribs and porta cribs shall be used with the mattress supports in their lowest positions and the crib sides in their highest positions.

(6)An infant sixteen months or older may be assigned to a cot with written parental permission. The crib assigned to the sixteen month old infant may be placed in storage onsite once the child is no longer using it, however, the crib shall not be assigned to another infant until the original child is eighteen months of age or no longer attending the center.

(7)If a crib is considered hazardous for an infant, regardless of age, the infant may be assigned to a cot with written permission from parent or guardian.

(B)Each crib shall be of sturdy construction, with closely spaced bars and with corner posts that do not exceed one sixteenth of an inch above the top of the end panel.

(1)Spaces between the bars of the crib and between the bars and end panels of the crib shall not exceed two and three-eighths inches.

(2)Stacked cribs shall be prohibited.

(C)Each crib shall be safe and meet the following standards.

(1)Cribs purchased or obtained after June 28, 2011 shall meet the United States consumer product safety commission (CPSC) safety standards, 16 CFR parts 1219, 1220 and 1500, that are effective as of June 28, 2011. Cribs purchased or obtained before June 28, 2011 shall meet the June 28, 2011 CPSC safety standards or be replaced by December 28, 2012 with cribs that meet this standard. CPSC safety standards may be found at: http://www.cpsc.gov/info.cribs/index.html.Any crib manufactured before June 28, 2011 shall have a certificate of compliance (COC) on file to be permitted for use. Providers may have to contact the manufacturer of the crib to receive a COC if they do not request one from the retailer when they purchase the crib. Cribs with a documented manufacture date after June 28, 2011 have to meet the new federal standards to be sold, so they do not require a COC.

(2)The space between the mattress and the side or end panels of the crib shall not exceed one and one-half inches.

(3)Each mattress shall be at least one and one half inches thick, be securely covered with a waterproof material which is not dangerous to children and can be thoroughly sanitized and have a properly fitted clean crib sheet.

(4)Bumper pads shall not be used in cribs or porta cribs.

(5)Nothing shall obstruct the staff member's visibility of an infant and nothing shall be placed in the crib or hung over the side of the crib that obstructs this visibility.

(D)Infants shall be cared for in a safe manner.

(1)Infants shall not be placed in the crib with bibs or any other items which could pose a strangulation or suffocation risk. This includes devices designed to maintain sleep positions, unless prescribed in writing by a physician.

(2)Infants shall be placed in their crib for sleeping, and shall not be allowed to sleep in car seats, swings, mesh cribs, playpens, bassinets of any type or other equipment. If a medical condition exists where a child needs to sleep in equipment other than a crib, written permission shall be obtained every six months from a physician and be available on file for review.

(3)Infants shall be placed on their backs to sleep unless the child's physician provides a written request to do otherwise on the JFS 01235 "Sleep Position Waiver Statement for Child Care Centers and Type A Homes" (rev. 9/2011). These forms shall be kept on file for review by the Ohio department of job and family services.