§ 30-3-6.1. Home child care facility fire safety requirements.

(a)

Telephone service shall be available, operable and accessible during the home child care facility's hours of operation.

(b)

All landline telephones shall be labeled with 911 stickers approved by the Office of the Fire Code Official.

(c)

Address numbers or building numbers shall be placed in a position that is plainly legible and visible from the street or road fronting the property.

(d)

Combustible waste material, lint, and dust creating a fire hazard shall not be allowed to accumulate in or on dryers, heating appliances, and furnaces.

(e)

Kitchen ranges, ovens, and exhaust hoods, grease removal devices, fans, ducts, and other appurtenances shall be free of excessive grease.

(f)

All exit stairs, interior or exterior, shall be in good repair and shall be provided with handrails and guard rails as required by the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code.

(g)

All egress pathway and exit doors shall be unlocked in the direction of egress and free from obstructions that would prevent their use, including debris, storage, and accumulations of snow and ice.

(h)

Closet and bathroom doors shall be unlocked in the direction of egress and designed to permit opening of the locked door from the outside with a readily accessible opening device.

(i)

Electrical hazards identified by the Fire Code Official shall be abated in accordance with the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code.

(j)

Extension cords, temporary wiring, and flexible cords shall not be substituted for permanent wiring. Extension cords and flexible cords shall not be affixed to structures, extended through walls, ceilings, or floors, or under doors or floor coverings, or be subject to environmental or physical damage.

(k)

A working space of not less than 30 inches in width, 36 inches in depth, and 78 inches in height shall be provided in front of the electrical service equipment. Where the electrical service equipment is wider than 30 inches, the working space shall not be less than the width of the equipment. No storage of any materials shall be located within the designated working space.

(l)

The use of portable unvented fuel-fired heating equipment is prohibited except in single-family dwellings classified R-5 by the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code. Where allowed, such equipment must be listed and approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory.

(m)

Where portable unvented fuel-fired heating equipment is allowed, the heating element or the combustion chamber shall be permanently guarded so as to prevent accidental contact by persons or combustible material.

(n)

Fireplace screens, glass, or doors shall be in good condition and designed to guard against accidental contact with the combustion chamber contents. The fireplace screen, glass, or doors shall be affixed to prevent accidental release of embers or products of combustion.

(o)

Wood stoves shall be listed and approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. Wood stoves shall be used and installed in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications. The provider shall have the manufacturer's specifications available on site for the Fire Code Official's review upon request.

(p)

Fireplaces, wood stoves, and chimneys shall be inspected and cleaned annually or as often as necessary to remove the buildup of creosote and other flammable residues. The provider shall have proof of inspection available on site for the Fire Code Official's review upon request.

(q)

Ashes from fireplaces and wood stoves shall be removed to the outside and stored in a container, with a tight fitting lid, which has been listed and approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory.

(r)

The furnace and other heating appliances shall maintain clearance from ignition sources as specified by the equipment manufacturer, unless the provider can establish cause for an exception.

(s)

Storage of combustible materials in buildings shall be orderly. Storage shall be separated from heaters or heating devices by distance or shielding so that ignition cannot occur.

(t)

Heating systems and associated ductwork shall be clean and in good working order. Adequate combustion air must be provided as required by the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code. Flues for the exhaust of carbon monoxide and other by-products of combustion shall be free of leaks and in good repair.

(u)

An operable smoke alarm shall be provided outside of each sleeping area, with at least one such device on each floor. Each smoke alarm shall be tested at least once a month and records of testing provided to the Fire Code Official upon request. Smoke alarms may be of the fixed-wired or battery type.

(v)

An operable carbon monoxide alarm shall be installed in homes according to the manufacturer's specifications where appliances may produce carbon monoxide. Each carbon monoxide alarm shall be tested at least once a month and records of testing provided to the Fire Code Official upon request.

(w)

Portable fire extinguishers having a minimum rating of 1A10BC shall be properly mounted and readily accessible (i) within 30 feet of cooking equipment; and (ii) in areas where flammable liquids are stored, used, or dispensed.

(x)

Portable fire extinguishers shall be selected, installed, and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications. All fire extinguishers shall be replaced at least every six years.

(y)

Storage of flammable or combustible liquids inside buildings in containers and portable tanks shall be in accordance with the Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code and the manufacturer's recommendations. Areas of flammable and combustible liquid storage shall be secured to prevent access during the home child care facility's hours of operation.

(i)

Combustible waste material creating a fire hazard shall not be allowed to accumulate in buildings, structures, or upon premises.

(ii)

Areas of storage of machinery such as lawnmowers and power tools shall be inaccessible to the children in care.

(z)

The provider shall prepare an emergency evacuation plan, which shall include the preferred method to notify employees, children, and other occupants of an emergency situation; emergency egress routes from each room where child care is permitted; procedures for accounting for employees, children, and other occupants; and the preferred and alternate plans to notify emergency response organizations.

(aa)

Fire evacuation drills shall be conducted monthly in all home child care facilities. Records shall be maintained on site and provided to the Fire Code Official upon request. Each record shall include the identity of the person conducting each drill; the date and time of each drill; the notification/initiating method used; the number of occupants evacuated; special conditions simulated; problems encountered; weather conditions when occupants were evacuated; and the time required to accomplish a complete evacuation.

(bb)

Rooms used for sleeping must provide two means of exit, one which leads directly to the outside, as required by the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code. (32-12-30.)