HEAD START CENTER DESIGN GUIDE

This chapter provides suggested technical criteria for the design and construction of elements and systems in a center. Refer to 45 CFR 1304.53(a) and (b) for pertinent Head Start Performance Standards.

10.1 Safety

GSA advises that center design and location are of the utmost importance to safety. Safety is a fundamental planning consideration, involving security, design, agency, and operations stakeholders. The following applicable requirements are in the most recent edition of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Standard No. 101, Life Safety Code, as modified:

• Mount panic hardware on egress doors a maximum of 3 ft. above the finished floor.
• Provide both audible and visual fire alarm signals. In addition to fire alarms that sound in the center itself, any fire event should be annunciated on the central building panel or a 24-hour manned security post. See the most current editions of NFPA 72 Chapter 5 and UL 1971 for requirements on audible and visible alarms.
• Every effort shall be made to locate the entire center on the ground level (level of exit egress) either along an outside wall with window access to the exterior, or along a courtyard with window access. Centers adjacent to a courtyard should have approved fire egress out of the courtyard itself to an area of safety. If portions of the center are located on the floor above the level of exit egress, only pre-school children should be housed there. In no instance shall any portion of the center be located higher in the building more than the floor above the level of egress. The center should not be located below a level of egress, unless the entire building is fitted for sprinklers and the arrangement is approved by the local fire authority. All arrangements should ensure safe egress in the event of fire. The center should have at least one door leading directly to the outside. Each center should have at least two means of egress with exits via protected corridors including the required fire separations. There should be two means of egress for each floor. State and local requirements will affect this design.
• It would be advisable to separate Head Start centers from other occupancies, depending on the fire gradient of the adjacent occupancy. In no case should the separation be less than a minimum of a one-hour fire-resistant-rated wall with doors with a fire protection rating of not less than 20 minutes. A fire detection, alarm, and communications system should be installed in all centers that meet the requirements of the NFPA Standards No. 70, NEC, NFPA 72, Standard for the Installation, Maintenance, and Use of Protective Signaling Systems, NFPA 72E, Standard on Automatic Fire Detector. The design should comply with local and state fire safety requirements. In the event of conflict, the more stringent requirements should apply.
• Adjacent hazardous areas, e.g., a boiler room without sprinklers, shall be separated from the center by a minimum two-hour fire-resistant-rated wall with self-closing doors with a fire protection rating of not less than 90 minutes.
• Adjacent hazardous areas, e.g., a boiler room with sprinklers should be separated from the center by a minimum one-hour fire-resistant-rated wall with self-closing doors with a fire protection rating of not less than 45 minutes.
• The center should be protected by an approved supervised automatic system using quick-response sprinkler heads throughout. In areas such as multipurpose rooms where there may be ball throwing activities, for instance, sprinklers should have guards.
• The sleeping and napping areas of the center should be protected by an approved supervised smoke detection system. Smoke detectors should be installed in all areas of the center, especially in unoccupied areas, including closets and closed space. This provision enhances flexibility, since it allows the location of sleeping and napping areas that require smoke detection to be changed in the future.
• Dead-end corridors should not exceed 20 ft. Travel distance within any room in the center to a door leading to a means of egress should not exceed 50 ft., and travel distance from that point to an exit should not exceed 98 ft.
• It is advisable to test all existing painted surfaces in the interior of the center for lead-based paint and to follow Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) guidelines. In addition, exterior paint in an area that children may access should be tested. All lead-based paint detected should be abated using HUD procedures and retested to ensure compliance. Refer to Lead-Based Paint: Interim Guidelines for Hazard Identification and Abatement in Public and Indian Housing, 1990 (HUD).
• For new and major renovations that involve plumbing, it is advisable to test all sources of water used by the center for lead at the acceptance of the substantially completed project. Buildings over 25 years old should be tested annually, at a minimum using guidance in the Environmental Protection Agency pamphlet Lead in School's Drinking Water, EPA 570/9-89-001, January 1989. If the lead levels exceed 20 parts per billion, the affected water supply should not be used and mitigation actions should be taken.
• The center or the area anticipated to house the center should be surveyed for the presence of asbestos-containing materials. Any asbestos-containing materials that are damaged or subject to disturbance should be abated in accordance with regulatory requirements and guidelines. In a limited area of the country, typically with highly acidic drinking water, water may also contain asbestos. Although this is considered less hazardous than friable asbestos found in buildings, the drinking water supply should be tested for the presence of asbestos and means taken to eliminate it, if it poses a hazard. (See Raising Children Toxic Free by Needleman and Landrigan, referenced in the "Selected References" section of the guide.)
• It is advisable to test the center for radon in the air using alpha track detectors or electric ion chambers for a minimum of 90 days. If radon levels are at, or exceed, 4 picoCuries per liter, mitigation actions should be taken. Allow a new center to "air out" before occupancy. GSA recommends that the schedule of work provide ventilation for off-gassing of new synthetic materials for 30 days.
• If the drinking water used by the center is obtained from a non-public water source, test the center for radon in water. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines should be used for testing as prescribed in Radon in Water Sampling Manual (EPA/EERF-Manual-78-1). If radon levels are at, or exceed, 300 picoCuries per liter, the affected water supply should not be used and mitigation actions should be taken followed by retesting.
• When screened operable windows are used, guards should be installed to protect children from falling through the screens.
• There should not be any sharp edges within children's areas. All corners on trim, counters, partitions, and shelving should have rounded edges with a 1/2 inch minimum radius. In areas accessible to children, there should not be any openings between 3.5 and 9 inches to prevent head entrapment.
• Interior glass should not present a safety risk for children and should comply with code. Only glass that will not break in close proximity to children's activities, or will not harm children or puncture skin when glass is broken, should be used.
• Locked storage for medications and dangerous products should be provided. Additionally, childproof interior hardware devices should be mounted on the interior of cabinets that are within children's reach.