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Childcare, Schools, and Lead Prevention Program
Inspections
- Childcare centers are inspected twice during a fiscal year. Childcare centers are defined as a program where three or more children less than 13 years old, who do not reside where the care is provided, receive care on a regular basis of a least once per week for more than 4 hours but less than 24 hours per day from persons other than their guardians or full time custodians, or from persons not related to them by birth, marriage, or adoption. There are exceptions to the rule and you can contact this department for them.
The facility must be either hooked up to a public water system or well water. If the facility is connected to well water, then a water sample must be taken prior to opening.
Sewage shall be disposed of into either a proper on-site sewage system or public waste water system. If your facility has an on-site sewage system, a tank check is required to ensure that the existing system is sized properly.
Approval of Construction & Renovation Plans
- Construction and modifications shall comply with the approved plans.
- Plans drawn to scale and specifications for new child care centers shall be submitted to the local health department for review and approval prior to initiating construction. Plans drawn to scale and specifications for changes to building dimensions, kitchen specifications, or other modifications to existing child care centers shall also be submitted to the local health department for review and approval prior to construction. Plans drawn to scale and specifications for prototype "franchise" or "chain" child care centers shall be submitted to DENR, Division of Environmental Health, Environmental Health Services Section, Children's Environmental Health Branch. When requested by an operator of a center or by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, the local health department shall visit or inspect an existing or proposed center, within 30 days of the request, to determine compliance with this Section.
- Review of the plans by the local health department or the Environmental Health Services Section shall be based on the requirements of this Section.
Resources:
Definition
"Public school" means a school supported by public funds appropriated by the General Assembly of North Carolina, by the federal government, and through local governmental sources.
Inspections
- If the conditions found at the time of the inspection of a private or religious school are dangerous to the health of the students, or if an imminent hazard exists, the sanitarian shall notify the Office of Non-Public Education, immediately by telephone or other direct means. A copy of the inspection report shall be immediately forwarded to that office.
Office of Non-Public Education
532 N Wilmington Street
Raleigh, NC 27604 - If the conditions found at the time of the inspection of a public school are dangerous to the health of the students, or if an imminent hazard exists, the sanitarian shall notify the office of the local superintendent immediately by telephone or other direct means. A copy of the inspection report shall be immediately forwarded to the local and state superintendents.
- An inspection of each school shall be made by the Department at least once a year to determine compliance with this Section.
- An inspection report shall be completed by the sanitarian upon completion of the inspection.
Water Supply
- Backflow connections and cross-connections with unapproved water supplies are prohibited.
- Hot and cold running water under pressure shall be provided to food preparation areas, and any other areas in which water is required for operations and maintenance cleaning.
- The water supply shall be from an approved source and shall be adequate and of a safe, sanitary quality.
- The water supply used shall be located, constructed, maintained, and operated in accordance with the Commission for Health Services' rules governing water supplies. Copies of 15A NCAC 18A.1700 and 15A NCAC 18C may be obtained from the Department. A sample of water from a private or public non-community water supply serving a school shall be collected by the sanitarian and submitted at least once a year to the Division of Laboratory Services or other laboratory certified by the Department to perform bacteriological examination.
- The well house shall be kept clean and free of storage.
Sanitary Sewage Disposal
All sewage and other liquid wastes shall be disposed of in a public sewer system or, in the absence of a public sewer system, by an approved, properly operating sanitary sewage system.
Resources
Investigations
- When the Department learns of confirmed lead poisoning, the Department shall conduct an investigation to identify the lead poisoning hazards to children and pregnant women. The Department shall investigate the residential housing unit where the child or pregnant woman with confirmed lead poisoning resides. The Department shall also investigate the supplemental addresses of the child or pregnant woman who has confirmed lead poisoning
- The Department shall also conduct an investigation when it reasonably suspects that a lead poisoning hazard to children or pregnant women exists in a residential housing unit or child-occupied facility occupied, regularly visited, or attended by a child less than six years of age or pregnant woman.
- In conducting an investigation, the Department may take samples of surface materials, or other materials suspected of containing lead, for analysis and testing. If samples are taken, chemical determination of the lead content of the samples shall be by atomic absorption spectroscopy or equivalent methods approved by the Department. (1997-443, s. 15.30(b); 2003-150, s. 4; 2017-57, s. 11E.6(c).