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TITLE 26HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
PART 1HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION
CHAPTER 746MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR CHILD-CARE CENTERS
SUBCHAPTER RHEALTH PRACTICES
DIVISION 1ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
RULE §746.3407What steps must I take to ensure a healthy environment for children at my child-care center?

You must clean, repair, and maintain the building, grounds, and equipment to protect the health of the children. This includes, but is not limited to:

  (1) Setting aside toys and equipment that are placed in children's mouths, or are otherwise contaminated by body secretion or excrement, to be sanitized before handling by another child;

  (2) Machine washing cloth toys, if used, at least weekly and when contaminated;

  (3) Machine washing all linens at least weekly, and when soiled or before another child uses them;

  (4) Sanitizing sleeping equipment before a different child uses it and when soiled;

  (5) Sanitizing potty-chairs after each child's use;

  (6) Emptying water play tables and toys used in water tables daily, sanitizing, and ensuring children and caregivers wash their hands before using the water table;

  (7) Maintaining sand boxes and sand tables in a sanitary manner;

  (8) Making all garbage inaccessible to children and managing it to keep the child-care center inside and outside, free of insects, rodents, and offensive odors, and disposing of it according to local and state requirements;

  (9) Keeping all floors, ceilings, and walls in good repair and clean. Paints used at the child-care center must be lead-free;

  (10) Keeping all parts of the child-care center used by children well heated, lighted, and ventilated;

  (11) Sanitizing table tops, furniture, and other similar equipment used by children when soiled or contaminated with matter such as food, body secretions, or excrement;

  (12) Clearly marking cleaning supplies and other toxic materials and keeping them separate from food and inaccessible to children; and

  (13) Using, storing, and disposing of hazardous materials as recommended by the manufacturer.


Source Note: The provisions of this §746.3407 adopted to be effective September 1, 2003, 28 TexReg 1402; amended to be effective September 1, 2016, 41 TexReg 6240; transferred effective March 9, 2018, as published in the Texas Register February 16, 2018, 43 TexReg 909

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