Indoor and outdoor active play equipment used both at and away
from the child-care home must be safe for the children as follows:
(1) The indoor and outdoor active play equipment must
be arranged so that caregivers can adequately supervise children at
all times;
(2) The design, scale, and location of the equipment
must be used according to the manufacturer's instructions;
(3) Equipment must not have openings or angles that
can entrap a child's body or body part that has penetrated the opening;
(4) Equipment must not have protrusions or openings
that can entangle something around a child's neck or a child's clothing;
(5) Equipment must be securely anchored according
to manufacturer's specifications to prevent collapsing, tipping, sliding,
moving, or overturning;
(6) All anchoring devices must be placed below the
level of the playing surface to prevent tripping or injury resulting
from a fall;
(7) Equipment must not have exposed pinch, crush, or
shear points on or underneath it;
(8) Climbing equipment, swings, or inflatables must
not be installed over asphalt or concrete, unless the asphalt or concrete
is covered with properly installed unitary surfacing material as specified
in §747.4707 of this title (relating to What are unitary surfacing
materials?) and §747.4709 of this title (relating to How should
unitary surfacing materials be installed?);
(9) Porches or platforms more than 20 inches in height
for pre-kindergarten and younger children, and more than 30 inches
in height for school-age children, must be equipped with protective
barriers that surround the elevated surface, except for entrances
and exits and that prevent children from crawling over or falling
through the barrier, or becoming entrapped; and
(10) Stairs and steps on climbing equipment, regardless
of height, must have handrails the children can reach. Rung ladders
do not require handrails.
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Source Note: The provisions of this §747.4401 adopted to be effective September 1, 2003, 28 TexReg 1462; amended to be effective December 1, 2010, 35 TexReg 10266; amended to be effective April 15, 2017, 42 TexReg 1906; transferred effective March 9, 2018, as published in the Texas Register February 16, 2018, 43 TexReg 909 |