State Mandated Inspection

Specifications and Requirements

Subject: LARGE FAMILY DAY CARE HOMES

A Large Family Day Care Home is a single-family residence licensed by the State of California to provide day care for 9 to 14 children (including those children under the age of ten (10) who normally reside at the home) for periods of less than 24 hours per day. Large Family Day Care Homes are intended to provide children with the same environment that is provided in a traditional home setting. Large Family Day Care Homes are classified as Group R-3 occupancies by the State Fire Marshal.

When a license request from the Department of Social Services is sent to the Fire Prevention Bureau, a Fire Inspector will conduct an inspection prior to the license being approved by the Fire Department. The Fire Safety Inspection Request form (std. 850) must be submitted to the Fire Department before an inspection is conducted. You can find all the required forms and information on the California State website at http://ccld.ca.gov/Default.htm

INSPECTION FEE: See Fee Structure for Associated fees.

Residences licensed as Large Family Day Care Homes must meet the following requirements:

1. Address numerals shall be provided in such a position as to be plainly visible and legible from the street or road fronting the property.
2. In multi-story commercial buildings of non-fire-rated construction, the day care use shall be restricted to the first story only.
3. Fire resistive requirements for exterior walls shall be the same as for R-3 occupancies. Exterior walls of a home will meet this requirement unless they have been modified without a building permit.
4. The separation between the garage and the house must be of materials approved for one-hour fire-resistive construction on the garage side and not be perforated or breached. A self-closing, tight fitting, solid wood door, 1-3/8 inches thick, must be provided between the garage and the house.
5. Large Family Day Care Homes shall be provided with two exit doorways. Every required exit door shall be capable of opening so that the clear width is not less than 32 inches and the clear height is not less than six feet, eight inches. A manually operated, horizontal sliding door may be used as one of the two required exits. Exits may pass through kitchens.
6. Every required exit door shall be operable from the inside without the use of a key or any special knowledge or effort. A single turn of the knob shall release the latch and lock bolts.
7. Yard gates blocking egress to the public way shall be operable from the inside without the use of a key or any special knowledge or effort.
8. Large Family Day Care Homes shall be equipped with single station, residential-type smoke detectors that are approved by the California State Fire Marshal. Smoke detectors shall be installed in sleeping areas and the hallway outside the sleeping rooms and be placed according to manufacturer’s instructions provided with the detector. The detectors shall be tested monthly.
9. Large Family Day Care Homes shall provide and maintain a device or devices suitable for manually sounding a fire alarm. Such devices shall be attached to the structure, be distinctive in tone and be audible throughout the structure. A standard wall-mounted, manually activated, electric fire alarm bell is recommended.
10. A portable fire extinguisher with a minimum rating of 2-A:10-B:C shall be provided. Extinguishers shall be conspicuously located where they are readily visible, preferably located along the normal path of travel. Extinguishers shall be mounted so that the top of the extinguisher is not higher than five feet or lower than three feet from the floor. Fire extinguishers shall be inspected and tagged annually and serviced every six years or immediately after use, whichever occurs first. Companies performing this service shall be licensed by the State of California.
11. Fire drills shall be conducted once per year.
12. An evacuation plan shall be posted.
13. Gas fired water heaters and furnaces, which are not enclosed and are within the area used for childcare, shall be protected to keep children from coming in contact with the appliances. This does not apply to kitchen stoves and ovens.
14. Storage and handling of gasoline, fuel oil and other flammable liquids shall be in accordance with Chapter 34 of the 2007 California Fire Code.
    

Example of an approved fire alarm for State Licensing inspections (Home Care, Large Family Day Care)