(A) What are the safe equipment
requirements for an approved child day camp?
(1) Equipment, materials and furniture
shall be sturdy, safe and easy to clean and maintain. They shall also be free
of sharp points on corners, splinters or protruding nails; loose or rusty
parts; paint which contains lead or other poisonous materials; or other
hazardous features.
(2) Furniture, equipment and materials
which are not usable due to breakage or being a hazard shall be removed
immediately and stored away from children until repaired or replaced.
(3) Any children's equipment shall be used
in accordance with the manufacturer's guidelines.
(4) If the child day camp offers
specialized activities as defined in rule 5101:2-18-01 of the Administrative
Code that require safety gear, the safety gear should be appropriately sized
and designed specifically for the activity being conducted.
(5) Air conditioners, heat pumps, electric
fans and space heaters shall be mounted or placed out of the reach of children
or have safeguards which prevent children from being injured.
(B) What are the safe environment
requirements for an approved child day camp?
(1) Illegal drugs and substances shall not
be on the premises. Alcohol shall be inaccessible to children and shall only be
kept in areas not approved or used by children.
(2) Buildings used by children shall
maintain an indoor temperature of at least sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit. If a
building used by children exceeds eighty-five degrees Fahrenheit, ventilation
that produces air movement, or air conditioning, shall be provided.
(3) Children shall be protected from any
items and conditions which threaten their health, safety and well being,
including but not limited to: electrical cords, extension cords, lead hazards,
asbestos, wells, traffic, employee's personal belongings and other
environmental hazards and dangerous situations.
(4) Cleaning agents and all other chemical
substances shall be stored in a designated area in their original containers
and/or clearly labeled. Children may use cleaning supplies with adult
supervision.
(5) Specialized activity equipment that is
potentially hazardous in nature, such as, but not limited to, bows and arrows,
air guns, sharp tools etc, shall be stored in a location that is locked and
inaccessible to children when the equipment is not in use.
(6) Children shall not have access to
specialized activity areas unless supervised by qualified child day camp staff
members.
(7) Safety zones and boundaries shall be
required for all specialized activities, as necessary. All persons who may be
close to the area for any reason must be aware of and oriented to the safety
zones and boundaries. Camps may use posted signs or warnings, physical
barriers, or specific scheduling procedures to control access to these areas.
(C) What are the swimming and water safety
requirements for an approved child day camp?
(1) All swimming sites shall meet all state
and local guidelines for environmental health inspections. Inspection reports
for on-site and private pools shall be on file at the approved child day camp.
(2) An approved child day camp shall have
one lifeguard present for every thirty-five children when children are involved
in a water activity for on-site and private pools over eighteen inches in
depth.
(3) Activities in bodies of water eighteen
inches or more in depth, including natural bodies of water as defined in rule
5101:2-18-01 of the Administrative Code, shall be supervised by people who are
currently certified as lifeguards or water safety instructors by the
"American Red Cross" or an equivalent water safety program, as determined
by the American camp association (ACA) or the Ohio department of job and family
services (ODJFS). If the lifeguard is a child day camp staff member, they shall
not be counted as a child day camp staff member in the staff/child ratio.
(4) Child day camp staff members shall be
actively supervising children pursuant to rule 5101:2-18-09 of the
Administrative Code and shall be able to clearly see all parts of the swimming
area.
(5) When children are engaged in water
activities, supervision of children shall include a minimum of two child day
camp staff members, one of whom is eighteen years of age or older.
(D) What are the requirements for animals
owned or utilized for programming by the approved child day camp?
(1) Pets and animals shall be permitted if
they present no apparent threat to the safety or health of the children.
(2) All pets and animals that are owned by
the approved child day camp, live at any approved child day camp primary use
spaces, or are utilized by the approved child day camp for program activities,
shall be properly housed, cared for, licensed and innoculated. All local and
state ordinances governing the keeping of animals (exotic or domesticated)
shall be followed and updated as required. Verification of license and
compliance with local and state requirements and innoculations, for each animal
requiring such license or innoculations, or regulated by local or state
government, shall be on file at the approved child day camp.
(3) Children shall feed or care for animals
under the supervision of child day camp staff members.
(4) Children shall not be directly exposed
to animal urine or feces inside buildings or in outdoor play areas.
(E) What are the requirements to provide
and maintain a clean environment, furniture, materials and equipment in an
approved child day camp?
(1) Flush toilets and bathroom sinks, if
available, shall be in good working condition. Toilet tissue, liquid soap,
running water, individually assigned towels, disposable towels or air dryers
shall be provided in all bathrooms. If programming activities take place at a
primitive campsite as defined in rule 5101:2-18-01 of the Administrative Code,
or if portable bathrooms are used, waterless hand sanitizing products may be
provided instead of running water and liquid soap.
(2) Equipment, furnishings and materials
shall be kept clean and in good repair.
(3) Accumulated trash and garbage shall be
stored away from the outdoor and/or indoor camp activity areas and shall not be
accessible to the children.
(4) Buildings and areas used by children
shall be cleaned daily and kept in a sanitary condition at all times.
(5) If the water at the child day camp's
primary use area(s) is not publicly supplied, the child day camp shall contact
the Ohio environmental protection agency (EPA) to determine if it qualifies as
a public water system.
(a) If the water supply qualifies as a
public water system, the child day camp shall comply with Ohio EPA standards.
(b) If the water supply does not qualify as
a public water system, the child day camp shall contact the local health
department to have the water tested and follow any additional requirements
requested by the health department. A copy of the water test shall be retained
at the approved child day camp and be made available upon request.
(c) If child day camp activities take
place at a primitive campsite as defined in rule 5101:2-18-01 of the
Administrative Code, appropriate water purification methods based on advice
from local officials shall be used before water from natural sources may be
consumed by children.
(6) On-site sewage disposal systems shall
not present a public health hazard.
Effective: 4/16/2018
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 04/16/2023
Certification: CERTIFIED ELECTRONICALLY
Date: 03/29/2018
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 5104.21, 5104.22
Rule Amplifies: 5104.21, 5104.22