CA Car Safety Seat Law

Changes

 

There seems to be a lot of confusion from providers that I know about the newer California car safety seat laws so here they are, plain and simple.

 

Children under the age of 8 years old must be properly buckled into a car seat or booster in the back seat.

 

Children over the age of 8 years old, or who are 4'9" or taller, can use the car's regular seat belt if it fits properly with the lap belt low on the child's hips, touching the upper thighs, and if the shoulder belt crosses the center of the child's chest.  If the child is not tall enough for the seat belt to fit properly then the child must ride in a booster or car seat regardless of the child's age or height. 

 

Of course everyone in the car must be buckled up properly.  California is getting pretty stiff when it comes to children in cars and for every child that is 16 years old or younger who isn't properly secured in a car, parents (if they are in the car) or drivers can be fined at least $475 per child and get a point on their driver's record. 

 

Don't get a ticket!  If you transport the children and your clients forget or don't want to leave a car seat or booster with you at daycare you can just go out and buy one to keep for yourself.  Booster seats are as little as $15 now for the backless versions and the high-back booster seats run as little as $20 in some places.  Car seats run more but $100 for a car seat sounds better than $475 and an increase in your car insurance premium. 

Children Left Unattended in Vehicles

From the Department of Social Services

Making safety a part of your daily routine can be the difference between life and death for a child in your care. Fifteen children in the United States have already died in 2012 due to heat strokes after being left unattended in vehicles. Leaving a child inside a vehicle with the windows rolled up - even a few minutes – can have deadly consequences.

A recent study conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics showed that in just one hour, vehicle temperatures can reach up to 117 degrees Fahrenheit even though it is only 72 degrees outside. That same study reported that cars with cracked windows can still result in temperatures rising 19 degrees in just 10 minutes.

A reminder to child care providers:

Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle. California Code of Regulations, Title 22, Section 102417(k) (2) for Family Child Care Homes, prohibits children from being left in parked cars.

Make it part of your everyday routine to account for all children in your care.

• Always make a habit of looking in the vehicle, front and back, before locking the door and walking away.
• Do things to serve as a reminder that a child is in the vehicle, such as placing a purse or briefcase in the back seat to ensure no child is accidentally left in the vehicle. Writing a note or using a stuffed animal placed in the driver’s view to indicate a child is in the car seat.

Visit the (DMV) website to view the Prohibition Against Unattended Child in Vehicle Act (also known as "Kaitlyn's Law") incorporated into the California Vehicle Code (Division 6.7). This law makes it an infraction punishable by a fine of $100.00 for a parent, guardian or other person responsible for a child 6 years of age or younger, to leave the child in their care in a motor vehicle without supervision.

Crib Safety Standards

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has approved new standards for cribs which have not been updated in almost 30 years. The main focus was aimed more towards traditional cribs with drop-side rails which have been associated with at least 32 infant suffocation and strangulation deaths since 2000 however a press release from the CPSC stated that “additional deaths have occurred due to faulty or defective hardware”. The goal of these new safety standards is to prevent additional deaths and to make cribs safer for infants and children to sleep in.

For manufacturers this means that as of June, 2011 all cribs made or sold in the U.S. must meet these new federal safety standards which bans the sale and manufacture of traditional drop-down cribs, requires that crib mattress supports and crib hardware be stronger and more durable and makes safety testing more rigorous. Childcare centers (CC) and family child care homes (FCC) will have until December, 2012 to get cribs which meet these new standards. Most cribs manufactured before June, 2011 do not meet these new standards it is not recommended that these be purchase or used which, even if they look safe, may not meet the new safety regulations and could have loose or missing hardware, creating gaps which could trap a child.

Make no mistake; this ban is not only against drop-side cribs but rather unsafe cribs in general. If you have a crib that was manufactured prior to June 2011, chances are, your crib won’t meet the new standards. You can check to see if your crib meets the new safety standards by finding your crib’s model and serial number then contacting the manufacturer and asking them if the crib meets the 16 CFR 1219 standards. If it meets the new requirements you will need a certificate of compliance from the manufacturer which you can keep in your records.

What do you do with a crib that does not meet the new crib standards? The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says that “A consumer should not resell, donate or give away a crib that does not meet the new crib standards, such as trying to resell the product through an online auction site or donating to a local thrift store” and recommends disassembling the crib before discarding it. It is also important to note that collapsible and portable cribs with mess sides (such as play yards and pack’n’plays) are not affected by the new crib standards.

More information about the new crib standards can be found here.

California Law Requiring Carbon Monoxide Devices

California Law Requiring Carbon Monoxide Devices

On May 7, 2010, Senate Bill 183 was enacted into law and is known as the Carbon Poisoning Prevention Act (ACT).  This act applies to existing housing.  The Act requires dwelling units to have installed a "carbon monoxide device" that is designed to detect carbon monoxide and produce a "distinct, audible, alarm", and requires the State Fire Marshal to certify and approve carbon monoxide devices and their Instructors.

The devices must be installed, consistent with new construction standards or according to the approved instructions, in all existing single-family dwelling units no later than July 1, 2011.  To assist licensees and providers with resource information on these requirements, we are providing you with a link to the website of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM).  http://osfm.fire.ca.gov

You can purchase carbon monoxide detectors at almost any home improvement store for roughly $20-$60 but be wary of the smoke detector/carbon monoxide combination alarms.  Keep in mind that smoke detectors are installed on ceilings because smoke rises, carbon monoxide is heavier than smoke and will fall low to the ground therefore one of the functions of a smoke/carbon monoxide detector may be rendered useless.  Make sure to install your carbon monoxide detector low to the ground and in an area near to any gas appliances.

Surface Washing Procedures

Disinfecting: 

To remove dirt, dust and general grossness from surfaces (tables, highchairs, counters etc.) spray the surface with a soap-water solution and then wipe it dry with a disposable paper towel.  If you decide to use a cloth instead make sure it's used only once then washed before you use it again, this prevents contamination and the spread of germs.

 

Sanitizing:

To sanitize eating and food preparation surfaces, follow the steps above then follow it with spraying the surface with a bleach/water solution.  Wait at least 2 minutes before wiping dry with a disposable towel or allow it to air dry.  The solution needs to stay on the surface for at least 2 minutes in order to kill the germs.  Do not spray it and immediately wipe it dry. 

 

Make a fresh batch of bleach solution every day. 

• 1 tablespoon of bleach in 1 quart of water -OR-
• 1/4 cup of bleach in 1 gallon of water

 

Precautions:

• DO NOT mix bleach with any other cleaner as it could be extremely toxic.  For example, combining the bleach in the bleach/water solution and the ammonia in a glass cleaner can create a toxic yet undetectable gas which is poisonous.
• Sponges shouldn't be used for cleaning because they absorb germs deep into itself which makes it extremely difficult to get rid of them.  Using a sponge on another surface then spreads these germs.  It is more hygienic to use one-time-use materials like paper towels.
• If cloths are used then a separate cloth is required for each table, tray, surface etc. and washed before using them again.  They cannot simply be soaked in a bleach/water solution before being used again.
• Food should not be placed directly onto a surface because the food has a larger chance of being contaminated versus placing it onto a reusable or disposable plate.
• If food is placed onto highchair trays directly without using a plate then the trays must be washed and sanitized after each use just as you would a plate or food utensil.
• Sanitizing solution must not be used while children are present and can come in contact with the solution.

Handwashing Procedure

In my last post I mentioned proper hand washing procedure but I didn't think to delve to deep into it.  This time I'm going to go through each step of how to properly wash your hands.

 

Step 1

Turn on the water and moisten your hands with water and get some liquid soap.

 

Step 2

Rub your hands together for 20 seconds.

 

Step 3

Rinse your hands while rubbing your hands together until all of the soap has been washed off.

 

Step 4

Dry your hands with a clean, disposable paper towel or air dry them with a blower (if cloth towels are used they are only good for one use and must be washed after each use).

 

Step 5

Turn the faucet off using a clean paper towel and throw the paper towel into a hands-free trash can.

 

*Turning the faucet on and leaving the water running throughout the entire hand washing procedure is a recommendation of "Caring for our Children: The national Safety Performance Standards for Out-of-Home-Care", American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association, National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Childcare and the Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale.  The reasoning behind this is for contamination prevention.  I however do not leave the water running for environmental reasons.

Diapering Procedure

I've never worked at a center based daycare so I'm not very sure about what the official diapering procedure is when it came to child care.  I do daycare in my home so I don't have a Director or other staff member to assist with this so I asked a fellow family child care college of mine and she gave me the proper steps of the diapering procedure based on the Family Child Care Environment rating Scale standards.  So here we have it, the "quality" way of diapering.

 

Step 1

The first thing you do before starting the diaper procedure is to wash your hands using proper hand washing.

 

Step 2

Next get organized.  This will minimize the chances of contamination.  Get all of the diapering supplies you will need to change the child's diaper and place them near the diapering surface.

• Wipes.  Take enough out and have enough set aside to wipe the child's bum and to wipe the child's and your hands.  Wet diapers will need 3-4 wipes total, soiled diapers will need more. (wipes must be taken out of the container).
• A clean diaper.
• A dab of diaper cream on a paper towel/wax paper if using any.

Other things you can use to further prevent contamination:

• Extra clothes if the clothes that the child is wearing are soiled.
• Plastic bag for soiled clothing if you anticipate needing one.
• Non-porous gloves.
• Changing table paper to cover the surface from the child's shoulders to feet.

(Except for the changing table paper, place these items near the diapering surface but not directly on it.  For example, if you are using a changing table with a pad on it the items should be placed on the changing table and not directly onto the changing pad.)

 

Step 3

Put the gloves on and place the child on the diapering surface and remove the child's clothing to have access to the diaper.  If the clothes is soiled place them into the plastic bag.

 

Remove the diaper and throw it away into a lined, lidded, hands-free trash bin.  Using the wipes clean the child's diaper area from front to back (one wipe per swipe).  You can also simply open the diaper and leave it under the child during the wiping process then, once finished, the wipes can be put inside the soiled diaper and rolled up inside before throwing away.  If wearing gloves you can make a "diaper bomb" by holding the tightly rolled soiled diaper in one hand and with the other gloved hand taking the outside cuff of the first glove and pulling it down and over the diaper.  Then take the soiled diaper in your other hand and pull your other hand completely out of the glove.  With your ungloved hand take the cuff of your gloved hand and pull down and over the diaper in the same way.  You are now holding an encased diaper and can throw that away. 

 

Step 4

Take a wipe and wipe your hands and throw that wipe away.  Take another wipe and wipe the child's hands and throw that wipe away as well.  Put a clean diaper on and apply diaper cream if needed, throw the paper towel/wax paper away.  Dress the child.

 

Wash the child's hands in the sink using proper hand washing procedures and then release the child to continue play.

 

Roll/fold up the changing table paper with the side that the child laid on in the inside and throw it away. 

 

Step 5

Spray the diaper changing area with a soapy water solution and dry it with a paper towel. 

 

Disinfect the diaper changing area by spraying the surface with an approved disinfectant.  Let the solution sit for 2 minutes then wipe dry (or allow to air dry).

 

Wash your hands using proper hand washing procedures.