Chapter 10: Technical Criteria

This chapter provides technical criteria for fire protection, security, accessibilty, and the electrical, pulmbing, lightning, heating, and cooling systems throughout the center. The chapter also covers testing for hazardous materials.

10.1 Fire Protection, Safety and Environmental Issues

10.1.1 Compliance
The majority of the fire protection, environmental, and safety requirements are contained in numerous national codes and standards. Compliance with the most stringent national or state codes and standards is mandatory.

10.1.2 National Codes and Standards
For new construction and renovation projects, HSB requires compliance with the nationally recognized model building codes or with state building codes, whichever is more stringent. However, for all new construction and renovation projects, the exit requirements of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Life Safety Code must be met instead of exit requirements of the national model building code. See section 10.1.3.

10.1.3 Means of Exit
The exit requirements of the NFPA Life Safety Code shall be used instead of the requirements in the national model building code.

Special requirements for Head Start centers using the Life Safety
Code include:

Each center shall have at least two means of exit through protected corridors with the required fire separations. The center should have at least one door leading directly to the outside, and two exits for each floor unless local codes require another arrangement.

Mount panic hardware on exit doors a maximum of 3 feet above the finished floor or as required by local codes.

Provide both audible and visual fire alarm signals. In addition to fire alarms sounding in the center, any fire emergency should be announced 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.

No common path of travel shall exceed 75 feet.

The distance between any room door intended as an exit access and an exit shall not exceed 100 feet.

The distance between any point in a room and an exit shall not exceed 150 feet.

Each classroom and activity room shall be provided with one direct exit to the outside if at all possible in Head Start buildings.

Center doors shall be arranged so that they open readily from the exit side whenever the center is occupied. Locks shall not require the use of a key, a tool, or special knowledge or effort for operation from the exit side. All locking arrangements shall meet the requirements of the latest edition of the NFPA Life Safety Code if local codes do not require other arrangements.

Every effort shall be made to locate the entire center on the ground level (level of exit exit) along either an outside wall with window access to the exterior or a courtyard with window access. Centers adjacent to a courtyard should have approved fire exit out of the courtyard to an area of safety. If portions of the center are located on the floor above the level of exit, only Head Start children should be housed there. In no instance shall any portion of the center be located higher than the floor above the level of exit. The center should not be located below an exit, unless the entire building is fitted for sprinklers, and the local fire authority approves the arrangement. All arrangements should ensure safe exit in the event of fire.

Head Start centers should be separated 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 having 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 and 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 and 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. Sprinklers should have guards in areas such as multipurpose rooms where there may be ballthrowing activities.

An approved supervised smoke detection system should be located in the sleeping and napping areas of the center. Smoke detectors should be installed in all areas of the center, especially in unoccupied areas including closets and closed space. This provision increases flexibility, since it allows the location of sleeping and napping areas that require smoke detection to be changed.

When screened operable windows are used, window guards should be installed to protect children from falling through the screens.

10.2 Security

Additional safety issues can affect space planning. HSB suggests treating the perimeter of the building and play yards as a controlled filter with only one primary means of public access and exit. All other service and emergency exit points should be controlled with access limited to authorized individuals.

Recommendations:
The entry approach should be visible by center staff located inside. Position the reception area adjacent to the entry and director’s office.

Buildings should be covered by security personnel.

The design should ensure that a child is unable to leave the center without the knowledge of the staff. For instance, the designer should avoid placing operable windows near a public sidewalk and be mindful of the ability of children to open exit doors.

Keeping children safe within the center, safeguarding them from outside intruders, and protecting them from hazards to the fullest extent possible is the purpose of security measures. HSB recommends that systems include equipment, electrical power, and a conduit to protect electrical cables and wires, as required. All security alarms should report either to an alarm system or to a central monitoring station or to both as an audible and visual alarm signal. Security equipment may include a perimeter security alarm system, video surveillance for entrance doors and vestibules, and an announcement system for main entrance doors.

The following should be provided:

• A video camera at the entry/exit doors is recommended when the center entrance cannot be seen by the building security staff or if a security risk assessment prescribes video monitoring at the entrance.
  
• Announcement at the entry door
  
• An electronic security system, including alarms, cameras and hardware. Monitors should be at the director’s office and should have covers to conform to the ADA requirement to lower mounting heights for fire pulls and duress alarms while also minimizing children’s access to them.
  
• A keypad at the entry door for authorized entry to the center without relying on other staff for assistance or monitoring and suitable for use by the disabled.
  
• Alarms at all entry points and delayed alarm locks at exit doors. Exit doors not intended for children’s use should be equipped with electronic magnetic locks.
  
• Duress alarms if prescribed by a security risk assessment.
  
• Audible and visible emergency alarm signals.

10.3 Accessibility

The site as well as the access to and within the center should comply with the most stringent of the current edition of the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS), the final rules of the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG), and local accessibility codes. The designer should ensure that there is an accessible route to all ground-level play areas. Refer to Appendix A.

Head Start design teams may wish to examine the standards for buildings and facilities that contain child care facilities. The standards were issued on January 13, 1998, and include scoping and technical requirements for accessibility to and within such buildings. The standards are available via the Internet at www.access-board.gov/rules/child.htm or from the Department of Justice.

Pertinent standards for children with disabilities follow:

• Passage width: The minimum clear width of aisles and corridors for children’s wheelchairs is 3 feet with a passing space of 5 feet provided at least every 200 feet.
  
• Minimum door width: 2.7 feet wide with a 5- foot-deep landing area in front of all ramps, gates, and doors. Doors through which evacuation cribs must pass to reach an exit should have a minimum width of 3 feet.
  
• Forward and side reach: Maximum high reach should be 35 inches and minimum low reach should be 20 inches.
  
• If space is available slope and rise: 1:16 to l: 20 is preferred; the maximum should be 1:12.
  
• Curbs should have cuts that comply with UFAS requirements.
  
• Drinking fountain controls should be front or side operable, and the spout should be a maximum of 29.5 inches above the finished floor. Knee clearance space should be 16 inches above the finished floor, 18 inches deep, and 30 inches wide.
  
• At least one side bar and one grab bar should be provided in an accessible location in the children’s toilet areas. Follow the most recent requirements established by ADAAG.

10.4 Historic Preservation

If a center is housed in a building included in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historical Places (NRHP), or if the center or its playground is within visible, close proximity to such a building, the center design should retain, respond to, and respect the use and character of the historic structure(s). State historic preservation officers must be contacted if changes are contemplated to historic structures. Work on historic buildings, structures, or properties should comply with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Structures (current edition) and the Fire Safety Retrofitting in Historic Buildings (August 1989) jointly written by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and the General Services Administration.

10.5 Acoustics

Acoustical concerns include (1) controlling exterior noise entering the space; (2) modulating and controlling the transfer of interior noise generated within the space; and (3) controlling the transfer of noise between the center and adjacent tenants.

10.5.1 Control of Exterior Noise

Minimizing exterior noise is typically required only when the center is adjacent to or near airport flight paths, major highways, or busy rail lines. If proximity to high levels of noise is unavoidable, acoustical measures may be necessary. Maximum acceptable noise levels depend on which area of the center is subject to the noise and whether the sound is continuous or intermittent. Suggested maximum acceptable noise levels at the center’s exterior follow:

Outdoor play yards:

• Continuous: 70 dBA
  
• Intermittent: 80 dBA
  
  Centers with sleeping and quiet areas placed next to outside walls:
  
• Continuous: 60 dBA
  
• Intermittent: 65 dBA
  
  Centers with sleeping and quiet areas protected by and not located along outside walls:
  
• Continuous: 65 dBA
  
• Intermittent: 70 dBA

If noise exceeds these levels, acoustical treatment may be necessary. Under these circumstances, HSB recommends the following:

• Window and door glazing should be acoustically laminated glass with an STC rating of 35 to 45 with an air space of 2 to 4 inches. (Conventional double-glazing and thermal glazing are not effective in this case.)
  
• Exterior doors should be high-quality commercial doors with an STC rating of 30.
  
• Sound-rated doors are an acceptable but more costly solution.

10.5.2 Modulating Interior Noise Generated within the Space

In addition to standard commercial construction, other provisions are necessary to ensure sound control within a center:

• Acoustical ceiling tile should be installed throughout the center except in service areas.
  
• Either non-slip throw rugs or permanently installed carpet should be used in appropriate spaces. Carpet may be particularly effective in noisy narrow corridors.
  
• Acoustical panels should be installed where appropriate.
  
• Baffles, banners, and fabrics should be considered in the design to help absorb sound generated within a center.

10.5.3 Controlling the Transfer of Noise Inside the Space

Maintaining low noise levels in sleeping, napping and quiet areas is important.

The following methods can be used:

• Extend interior partitions to the structure above the ceiling. Partitions may be single- layer gypsum wallboard and should have cavity insulation and be completely caulked at the top and bottom.
  
• Use solid-core doors for openings into noisy areas.
  
• Use fabrics and baffles to absorb sound.
  
• Provide acoustical baffles in all ductwork that penetrates sound-attenuating partitions.
  
• Avoid back-to-back electrical outlet boxes.

10.5.4 Controlling the Transfer of Sound to Adjoining Areas

Separation between centers and adjacent office spaces is recommended to be STC55. This may involve considerable expense, since not only should partitions be insulated but also should be continued to the structure above any suspended ceiling. Joints may require complete caulking.

No door or window openings should be placed in walls adjoining other building tenants.

Acoustical baffles should be provided in all ductwork that penetrates sound-attenuating partitions.

10.6 Windows, Doors, and Hardware

10.6.1 Windows

Natural light into the interior, visual access from the interior to the outside, and visual access within the center are important in environments for children. Windows should be provided from classrooms to the outside, between classrooms, and from classrooms to circulation paths.

Both children and adults should be considered. The height and scale of windows, type of glass, clear view, control of light, and safety factors should be weighed. At a minimum, the designer should provide an exterior window for every classroom. In interior areas for children, the design should allow optimal access to light and view via clerestories, sidelights, windows, and clear lite-doors with safety glass.

Children’s spaces have a total window area of at least:

• Eight percent of the floor area of the room, if windows face south directly to the outdoors.
  
• Ten percent of the floor area of the room, if windows face east or west.
  
• Fifteen percent of the floor area of the room, if windows face north.
  
• Twenty percent of the floor area of the room, if windows are not on an exterior wall. These windows should be oriented to capture the maximum natural light. Toilets, kitchen areas, laundry areas, multipurpose rooms, offices, conference rooms, lounges, and storage rooms do not need windows if the design cannot accommodate them.

Window systems (glazing, frames, anchorage to supporting walls) on the exterior facades of centers should be designed to mitigate the hazard of glass fragments or panes of glass flying into occupied space because of an exterior explosion. The design should balance the features of the glazing, framing, and attachments with the capacity of the supporting structure to ensure maximum resistance. Horizontal window muntins (horizontal mullions) should not be located between 2 feet and 3.6 feet above the finished floor, because they might be used for climbing.

Windows should be placed at children’s viewing height above the floor. Maximum windowsill heights for children are 1.5 feet above the finished floor for infants, 2 feet above the finished floor for toddlers, and 2.5 feet above the finished floor for pre-school children. Planning sill placement lower than 1.5 feet above the floor is undesirable because placing furniture in front of such a window would block the view and light. For the same reason and because of the likelihood of drafts, glass to the floor is undesirable.

Windows and doors with glass lower than 3 feet above the finished floor should have safety guards or be constructed of safety-grade glass or polymer and should be equipped with a vision strip. If cost permits, wire glass should be replaced with an approved alternative. All glazing should be clear glass. Tinted glass is not recommended except when matching existing glazing as in a renovation project.

Guards should be installed to protect children from falling through the screens when screened operable windows are used.

10.6.2 Standards for Safety Glass

The standards for safety glass follow:

• Consumer Product Safety Commission, 16 CFR, Part 1201, Safety Standards for Architectural Glazing.
  
• ANSI Z97.1, Safety Performance Specifications and Methods of Testing for Safety Glazing Materials Used in Buildings.
  
• Operable windows may be mandatory to provide for rescue and/or ventilation. All operable windows should have draft deflectors, screens, and safety locks, to prevent children from falling through the windows. Exterior window glazing should be insulated glass. Interior windows should not be insulated, although interior spaces requiring acoustical separation may employ laminated glazing.
  
• Interior glass should not present a safety risk for children and should comply with code. Use only glass that will not break in areas near children’s activities or glass that will not harm children or puncture skin when it breaks.
  
• All exterior windows in children’s areas should have light control and energy conservation features either by exterior or interior methods. In new construction, either exterior overhangs, low-E-glass or both should be included in areas of the country with a warm climate. They should prove cost effective over the life cycle of the building and may well justify a higher first cost, particularly in elevations with excessive heat gain. Overhangs are desirable but should not restrict natural light excessively, especially during winter months. In addition, simple blinds, shades, or draperies also should be used where it is important to control light and heat gain. Valances may be used to provide color, sound absorption, and a non-institutional appearance.
  
• Exterior windows in napping and sleeping areas may require window treatments to control direct sunlight, and the staff should have the flexibility to change window treatments. Light levels in all rooms, including sleeping rooms, should be sufficient to provide visual observation of the space from adjoining spaces. All blind cords should be kept out of children’s reach.

10.6.3 Doors

Doors and openings should include the following features:

• Vision panels at adult and child viewing height except on doors to adult toilets.
  
• Clear opening widths of doors in paths of exit at a minimum of 3 feet wide to allow crib movement.
  
• Interior doors that swing in the direction of emergency exit toward the exterior. Avoid Dutch doors, because children’s fingers can be injured in the hinge space. Young children are vulnerable to injury when they strike projecting hinges. Inexpensive devices that fit over hinges are available and should be used to ensure safety.
  
• Panic hardware on exit doors in centers. Since this hardware is accessible to children, centers should consider installing alarms on doors with delayed-activation hardware for emergencies. The designer should select doors that require the maximum amount of force allowed by ADAAG and applicable codes.

10.6.4 Door Hardware

All door hardware should comply with UFAS. Lever types appropriate for use by the disabled should be used on all door locks, latch sets and on the opposite side of a door leaf with a panic hardware device. To prevent injury, all doors should have rate-restrictor closers. Doors accessible to children should have hardware operable from both sides using components with smooth edges and no sharp protrusions. Door openings intended for adult use only should have hardware installed at adult height. Panic hardware should be mounted per code.

All exit doors should be equipped with appropriate emergency hardware. Doors to the exterior not used by children should have electronic magnetic locks that operate in an emergency. Consider an electronic strike release with a keypad or a card reader and remote release for main entrance doors. Keypads and card readers must meet UFAS standards.

10.6.5 Mounting

The following standards apply for mounting plumbing fixtures, mirrors, and paper towel dispensers:

• Flush controls should be mounted 20 to 30 inches above the finished floor on the wide side of toilet areas.
  
• Toilet paper dispensers should be mounted 14 inches above the finished floor within children’s reach.
  
• The sink top should measure 22 inches above the finished floor with a minimum clearance of 19 inches for knee space.
  
• Faucets on children’s lavatories may be fitted with sanitary and energyconserving automatic controls, but the designer should ensure that these devices are acceptable to local licensing. Faucet controls mounted on the face or rim of a counter surface should be no more than 14 inches from the leading edge.
  
• Mirrors should be mounted over the sink with the bottom edge no higher than 29.5 inches above the finished floor. One full-length mirror should be provided with the bottom edge a maximum of 18 inches above the finished floor. All mirrors should be shatterproof.
  
• Paper towel dispensers should be mounted beside or close to the sinks. No dispensers of any kind within children’s reach should have serrated edges.

10.7 Plumbing

The following plumbing features are important:

• Provide paper towel and soap dispensers without serrated edges at all sinks.
  
• Provide easily reached clean-outs for waste piping.
  
• Provide a shut-off valve for each fixture so that maintenance procedures do not affect multiple plumbing facilities.
  
• Provide a floor drain in each toilet for children, in the laundry, and in each water play activity area.
  
• Provide hot water supplies accessible to children with a controlled temperature not to exceed 105° F, unless local regulation requires otherwise. Provide a hot water supply to the dishwasher.
  
• Provide drinking fountains with a mouth guard and an angled jet with a spout height of no more than 21 inches above the finished floor.
  
• Check drinking fountains to ensure they are not contributing to high levels of lead or asbestos in water.
  
• Use lead-free solder for domestic water piping.

10.8 Heating/Ventilation and Air Conditioning

The comfort and safety of the children and adults in the center are of prime importance. Consider the following standards for temperature and ventilation.

10.8.1 Temperature and Humidity Levels

Temperature and humidity should be maintained within selected ranges. Temperature levels are measured at lower than normal heights above the floor to accommodate children. Children spend a great deal of time on the floor. Therefore, it is important to control temperature and avoid drafts. Best practice suggests maximum insulation of floors (depending on the project location) including perimeter insulation of floor slabs. Heating systems installed in the floor slab are not recommended because of problems with maintenance and flexibility.

Use the following guidelines for acceptable temperature and humidity (measured at 3 feet above the finished floor):

• Winter: 69.8 °F and 35 percent minimum relative humidity.
  
• Summer: 75.2° to 78.8°F and 50 percent maximum relative humidity.
  
• Tamper-proof thermostats should be located at least 3 feet above the finished floor to monitor the temperature at a child’s level. The optimum temperature control is zoned, and it should be appropriately adjusted for different activity areas. Infant areas may be more comfortable for these children at 1-3 degrees warmer temperatures than other areas. The design A/E needs to consider this issue and make recommendations for the optimal solution to heating and cooling distribution during the concept development stage. Thermostats should be accessible to the center director or other designated staff members.

10.8.2 Ventiliation

In addition to heating and cooling equipment, a humidifier/dehumidifier may be needed to meet suggested levels. Each space should be supplied with a minimum of 15 liters per second of outside air for each occupant to control odors. None of this air is to be returned to the rest of the building. To ensure comfort levels, the air motion in the occupied space should not exceed 8,000 mm per minute.

There should be proper exhaust venting for a range and clothes dryer. It is wise to consider noise level, service, and efficiency when locating equipment. Whenever possible, HVAC should be separate from the other building systems. Apart from other advantages, this will facilitate better filtration of the dust and molds to which many children are particularly sensitive. Air diffusers can be used to minimize drafts.

10.8.3 Heating and Cooling Safety Issues

The following restrictions are suggested:

• Prohibit portable electric fans.
  
• Prohibit space heaters.
  
• Vent heating units that use flames to the outside and supply them with sufficient combustion air.
  
• Ensure that heating units hotter than 109.4°F are inaccessible to children by using locks or other barriers.

10.9 Lighting

Well-considered lighting for each activity area is a key element in creating a home-like environment in Head Start centers. The quality of light should remind children of a home environment. To achieve this effect, use broad ambient lighting for large-muscle activity areas, task lighting for manipulative activities, and lower light levels for quiet and sleeping areas.

The amount and orientation of natural light should be considered in the design. Variation in light levels up to a maximum of 500 lx is acceptable in rooms with poor natural lighting capability. See Table 10.9 for the minimum suggested light levels for various functions.

Table 10.9: LIGHTING REQUIREMENTS

Space	Natural Light	Lighting in lux
Vestibule	View	250-350
Reception	View	250-350
Main Circulation		100 - 350
Director’s Office	View	500
Sick Bay		300 - 500 (dimmable)
Staff Lounge	View	500 (dimmable)
Parent/Teacher Conference		500 (dimmable)
Adult Toilet		150-250
Central Storage		250-350
Laundry		300 - 400
Kitchen		300 - 500
Janitor’s Closet		300 - 400
Telephone Closet		400 - 500
Multipurpose Space
Play Area		300 - 500
Meeting Area		300 - 500 (dimmable)
Play Yard Storage		300 - 500
Infant Activity Area	Natural light	250-500 (quiet areas dimmable)
Toddler Activity Area	Natural light	300-1000 (quiet areas dimmable)
Pre-Schooler Activity Area	Natural light	300-1000 (quiet areas dimmable)
School-Age Activity Area	Natural light	300-1000 (quiet areas dimmable)
Cubby Storage Area/Locker		300 - 500
Food Preparation		300 - 500
Eating Natural light		300 - 500
Children’s Art Sink	Natural light	500 - 1000 (dimmable)
Sleeping/Crib/Napping		50 - 500 (dimmable)
Diapering Station		300 - 500
Children’s Toilet		300 - 500
Children’s Hand-washing Sink		300 - 500
Children’s Private Toilet		300 - 500

In addition, the following should be provided:

• Use 500 lux (lx) on children’s work surfaces for reading and close work.
  
• Use 250 lx ambient light for class and play areas with additional task lighting up to 500 lx provided where appropriate.
  
• Ensure that light is capable of being dimmed in a range of 500 lx to 50 lx for sleeping and napping areas.
  
• Use 100 lx in stairs and corridors.
  
• Install dimmable light fixtures in classrooms and nap rooms.
  
• Light levels in all rooms, including sleeping rooms, should be maintained at a sufficient level to allow observation of the space from adjoining spaces. Lighting should be used to emphasize areas, designate boundaries, create a pleasant environment, or support a certain activity.

When using fluorescent lighting, electronic ballast light fixtures are recommended. Their high-frequency cycles avoid perceptible flickering and allow dimming. Fluorescent lamps should have a color temperature of 4,100 degrees Kelvin with the highest possible color-rendering index (CRI). Minimum CRI should be 80 or greater to enhance the center’s environmental quality. If there is adequate ceiling height, use better quality reflected, ambient lighting from pendants or recesses instead of troffer-style downlight fluorescent fixtures.

Using reflected light will ensure that children, who are at a far lower vantage point than adults, avoid looking directly into the light source which can cause eye fatigue because of the glare. If troffer use is unavoidable, a specular finish and parabolic louver are recommended. Provide dimmable lighting in infant sleep areas and in all classrooms. Task lights, such as those provided by residential-type pendant fixtures, should be used for reading, painting, and close work.

Variety is advisable in designing lighting. Use devices such as dimming controls, separate switching, adjustable directional fixtures, and pendant fixtures positioned over work areas. Consider using specialized lighting to display artwork, pools of light to create excitement and variety, and high levels of light in areas designed for physical activity. Food preparation areas should have fixtures that have shielded or shatterproof bulbs.

Light entering from the exterior can be controlled with adjustable blinds, shades, or other types of window coverings. Window treatments on interior windows should allow clear visibility.

Planning adequate exterior lighting for a building will allow safe exterior circulation and site security.

All lamps should have shatterproof lenses or covers.

10.10 Electrical

Consideration for the safety of children and future electrical needs is critical. Defining data, equipment, and communication requirements in advance may prevent the need to expand electrical capacity in the future.

10.10.1 Electrical Safety Issues
If there are other applicable codes and standards deemed more stringent than the safety standards listed below, the more stringent standards should apply.

Outlets in areas accessible to children must be tamper resistant as defined by NEC Article 517-18c. Outlets that are within children’s reach should be modified to avoid any possibility of electrocution. An alternative is to locate them out of children’s reach at least 4.3 feet above floor level.

No electrical outlet should be located within 6.2 feet of a water source unless it is protected by an approved ground fault circuit interrupter.

Computer cables should be encased in conduits or channels.

No cables or wires in the center should have enough slack present to risk strangulation of a child.

Locate tamper-proof outlets 4 inches above the finished floor wherever counters are provided for adult use and at computer stations.

No raised electrical boxes with sharp metal edges should be installed in areas or passageways used by children.

All hot equipment, including resistance-heating elements, should be screened and inaccessible to children.

Care should be taken in selecting and locating telephone sets and other devices, to avoid a child’s entanglment in the device’s wires and cords. The same applies to window blinds with pull cords. Such wires, cords, and strings should be 4.5 feet above the floor and out of children’s reach.

10.10.2 Electrical Requirements

Recommendations:

• Provide wall duplex outlets at intervals of approximately 13 feet.
  
• Provide one duplex outlet per wall on walls less than 10 feet wide.
  
• Provide electrical power outlets for kitchen and laundry areas for a refrigerator, oven, range, garbage disposal, and washer/dryer.
  
• Consider closed-circuit TV cameras at all entrances and exits.
  
• Provide for a possible additional monitor location in the staff area.
  
• Coordinate requirements and provide for the installation of the following: electrically switched doors, security alarms, and intercom systems.
  
• Provide a power supply for a TV, a VCR, audiovisual equipment, telephones, and computers for staff and children’s areas.
  
• Provide smoke detectors in each closet or enclosed space.

10.11 Lead-Based Paint

Test all existing painted surfaces in the center interior and playground equipment for lead-based paint following Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) guidelines. Exterior paint in any area that children may access must be tested. All detected lead-based paint must be abated using HUD procedures and re-tested to ensure compliance.

Please refer to Lead-Based Paint: Interim Guidelines for Hazard Identification and Abatement in Public and Indian Housing, 1990 (HUD).

10.12 Lead in Water

In new and major renovation projects that involve plumbing, conduct lead tests for all sources of water used by the center for lead when the substantially completed project is accepted. At a minimum, water in buildings over 25 years old should be tested annually, using guidance in the Environmental Protection Agency pamphlet Lead in School’s Drinking Water, EPA 570/9-89-001, January 1989. If the lead exceeds safe levels, the affected water supply must not be used, and mitigation actions must be taken immediately.

10.13 Asbestos

Survey the center (or the area anticipated to house the center) for the presence of asbestos-containing materials. An asbestos abatement and control program must be implemented if asbestos is present. 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 with highly acidic drinking water, water also may contain asbestos. This is considered a lesser hazard than crumbling asbestos found in buildings. Nevertheless, tests should be conducted and, if the drinking water supply shows the presence of asbestos, it should be eliminated as a hazard. (See Raising Children Toxic Free, referenced in the “Selected References” section of the Guide.)

10.14 Radon

For a minimum of 90 days, test the center for radon in the air using alpha track detectors or electric ion chambers. If radon levels are at, or exceed, 4 picoCuries per liter, corrective actions must be taken immediately followed by re-testing.

Test the center water for radon if the drinking water is obtained from a nonpublic water source. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines shall 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 must not be used and mitigation actions must be taken immediately followed by re-testing.

10.15 Off-Gassing

Allow a new center to “air out” before occupancy. The schedule of work should provide ventilation for off-gassing of new synthetic materials for 30 days.

10.16 CO2 Monitoring

Provide the capacity for permanent carbon dioxide monitoring, including operational set point parameters to prevent indoor CO2 levels from exceeding outdoor levels by more than 700 parts per million (ppm), as described in LEED Version 2.0.

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