R710-8-4. Additions

  (1) Places of religious worship shall not be required to meet the provisions of this rule in order to operate a nursery or day care while religious services are being held in the building.

  (2) Family day care.

  (a) Family day care units shall have on each floor occupied by clients, two separate means of egress, arranged so that if one is blocked the other will be available.

  (b) Family day care units that are located in the basement or on the second story shall be provided with two means of egress, one of which shall discharge directly to the outside.

  (i) Type 1 family day care units, located on the ground level or in a basement, may use an emergency escape or rescue openings as allowed in IFC, Chapter 10, Section 1030.

  (c) Family day care units shall not be located above the second story.

  (d) In family day care units, clients under the age of two shall not be located above or below the first story.

  (i) Clients under the age of two may be housed above or below the first story where there is at least one exit that leads directly to the outside and complies with IFC, Section 1011 or Section 1012 or Section 1027.

  (e) Family day care units located in split entry/split level type homes in which stairs to the lower level and upper level are equal or nearly equal, may have clients housed on both levels when approved by the AHJ.

  (f) Family day care units shall have a portable fire extinguisher on each level occupied by clients, which shall have a classification of not less than 2A:10BC, and shall be serviced in accordance with NFPA, Standard 10, Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers.

  (g) Family day care units shall have single station smoke detectors in good operating condition on each level occupied by clients. Battery operated smoke detectors shall be permitted if the facility demonstrates testing, maintenance, and battery replacement to insure continued operation of the smoke detectors.

  (h) Rooms in family day care units that are provided for clients to sleep or nap, shall have at least one opening or door approved for emergency escape.

  (i) Fire drills shall be conducted in family day care units quarterly and shall include the complete evacuation from the building of all clients and staff.

  (i) At least annually, in type I family day care units, the fire drill shall include the actual evacuation using the escape or rescue opening, if one is used as a substitute for one of the required means of egress.

  (3) Day care centers.

  (a) Day care centers shall comply with either I-4 requirements or E requirements of the IBC, whichever is applicable for the type of day care center.

  (b) Emergency evacuation drills shall be completed as required in IFC, Chapter 4, Section 405.

  (4) Requirements for all day care.

  (a) Heating equipment in spaces occupied by children shall be provided with partitions, screens, or other means to protect children from hot surfaces and open flames.

  (b) A fire escape plan shall be completed and posted in a conspicuous place.

  (i) All staff shall be trained on the fire escape plan and procedure.

  (c) The AHJ shall insure at each inspection there is sufficient adult staff to client ratios to allow safe and orderly evacuation in case of fire.

  (i) For day care involving children, the AHJ may use the care giver to children ratios established in rule by the Department of Health as an established guideline.