Table of Contents. Introduction Diaper Changing Potty Chairs Toileting Cots Water Play Sandboxes Pets...

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1 Table of Contents Introduction... 1 Diaper Changing... 1 Potty Chairs... 2 Toileting... 2 Cots... 2 Water Play... 3 Sandboxes... 3 Pets... 3 Waste Disposal... 4 Washing and Disinfecting Surfaces... 4

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3 Introduction Creating a clean, healthy environment in your child care centre will help prevent and control the spread of infectious diseases. Cleaning and disinfecting should be an integrated part of ongoing operating practices. Scheduled cleaning routines and policies are necessary and will contribute to an overall bright and pleasant facility for staff and children. Ensure existing staff are kept up to date on policies and new staff is trained. Occasional in-services may be helpful to teach or reinforce methods. Diaper Changing Diapering Area: Establish a change area that is physically separated from the children s activity area and the food preparation area. Establish diaper stations adjacent to a hand sink supplied with soap in a dispenser and disposable paper towels. Provide a changing surface that is smooth, moisture resistant, and easy to clean. Clean and disinfect the diapering table after each use. Provide a foot operated garbage container with a tight fitting lid and lined with a plastic disposable bag for diaper collection. Be sure the container is not accessible to children. Empty the container frequently and clean and disinfect it as often as required to maintain clean and sanitary conditions, and to minimize odours. Procedure: Wash hands thoroughly before each change. Assemble supplies within easy reach. If using gloves put them on now. New single use gloves are to be used for each child. Ensure proper hand washing procedures are followed when gloves are removed. Hold child away from your clothes while you place him/her on the clean change surface. Remove the diaper. If safety pins are used, close each pin immediately and place out of child s reach. Clean child s skin with a wet wipe. Remove all visible soil, remembering to check skin creases. Discard wet wipe into the soiled diaper or directly into a plastic-lined garbage container. Discard soiled disposable diaper into a plastic-lined garbage container. Never rinse soiled clothing or soiled diapers, whether disposable or not. The additional handling of the clothing/diaper may result in more hand and environmental contamination. Disposable diapers should be enclosed in a plastic bag and placed into the garbage container at the diapering station. Place soiled clothing and re-usable soiled diapers in a plastic bag to be given to parents. Niagara Region Public Health 1

4 If wearing gloves remove them now and discard into garbage container. Wash hands or use wet wipes. Diaper and dress the child. Wash the child s hands using proper hand washing procedure. Return child to activity area. Wash and disinfect the diapering area, including all equipment and supplies that were soiled or used. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water, and paper towels to dry. Post diapering protocol at each diapering station. Potty Chairs Provide potty chairs that are made of smooth, non-absorbent, easy to clean material (no wood) and have a removable water container. Keep potty chairs in the washroom, not in playrooms or hallways. Place potty chairs in a location where children cannot reach toilets, other potty chairs, or other potentially contaminated surfaces. Clean according to the following procedures: After use, empty potty contents into toilet. Wash and disinfect the potty chair after each use in the utility sink. Wash your hands. Toileting Children are to be supervised during toilet procedures. Assist in teaching hygienic wiping procedures (front to rear). Staff members must thoroughly wash hands and assist the child with hand washing. Step stools must be clean, non-absorbent and disinfected daily. Cots Napping space and play area may be used interchangeably. Label each child s cot, mat, and bedding. No sharing. All cots, beds, cribs, or mats are to be maintained in good repair, and kept clean and sanitary at all times. Wash liners and cots weekly or more often as needed. Blankets and personal belongings not washed on-site should be sent home for weekly laundering. Niagara Region Public Health 2

5 Water Play Water play is fun for children, but if not properly managed it is a good medium for spreading infections. The following will reduce the spread of infection via water: Use municipal water for water play. Wash hands before and after water play. The water basin and toys are to be washed and disinfected at least once daily for full day programs, and after each group for half-day programs. Water play is not recommended if an outbreak of diarrhea is on-going. Pathogens can be transferred hand to mouth via water. Exclude children with cuts, scratches or soars on hands, or with colds and runny noses from group water play. Sandboxes Install a secure cover on outdoor sandboxes when not in use. Check sandboxes and sand in play areas daily for animal droppings, broken glass, or other hazardous items before children go outside to play. A lawn rake can be used to sift through the sand. Sand should be replaced as often as necessary to keep sand visibly clean and free of all extraneous matter. Pets Children enjoy pets and can learn many good things from observing and playing with them. However, having pets in the child care centre is not recommended. Consider some of the following issues that pets can cause in child care centres before deciding to allow any animals in yours: Cleanliness Safety (bites and scratches) Transmission of infections Allergies Niagara Region Public Health 3

6 If animals are a part of your child care centres routine on a permanent or visiting basis, consider the following: Confine animals to pens, cages or in a tank or container where a child cannot touch the animals. Staff is responsible for pet feeding and cleaning of all pens, cages, tanks or containers. Exotic pets such as ferrets, hedgehogs, iguanas, lizards, turtles, snakes and other reptiles and amphibians, as well as psittacine birds (birds of the parrot family) are not allowed as they can transmit salmonella and other diseases to humans. Dogs and cats must have current RABIES vaccination certificates. This is a legal requirement for all domestic dogs and cats in Niagara Region. Dogs and cats can transmit parasites, fungal and bacterial infections to staff and children. There is also a risk of infection as a result of a bite or a scratch injury. If your facility has an animal(s), a veterinarian should routinely check them. Staff and children must wash their hands thoroughly after contact with the animal, its cage or its food. Waste Disposal Have enough garbage containers to store all the garbage that is generated between collection days. Choose durable plastic or metal garbage containers with tight-fitting lids. Thoroughly clean and disinfect all garbage containers once a month or more frequently as needed. See recipe for bleach disinfectant solution on next page. Washing and Disinfecting Surfaces Wash all surfaces and articles first with soap and warm water. Rinse with clear water. Follow with disinfectant bleach disinfectant solution Page 5. Allow required contact time. Use disinfectants in accordance with manufacturers recommendations for dilution, temperature, water hardness and contact time. Every chemical disinfectant shall be used according to the product s Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). Store in a labeled container or spray bottle. Confirm the strength of the disinfectant using appropriate test strips. Phenol base disinfectants should not be used in infant areas. Niagara Region Public Health 4

7 It is recommended that disinfectants have a drug identification number (DIN). A DIN on a product label indicates that it has been established to be safe and effective for its intended use, upon a Health Canada review. The designation of a product as germicidal, virucidal or tuberculocidal is not sufficient. A wide variety of cleaners and disinfectants are available from cleaning supply companies. Contact a company representative to determine which product(s) is appropriate for your facility. Use these products in accordance to the manufacturer s instructions Use these products for their intended use only, at the correct dilution rate (if applicable), and with the required amount of contact time Store all chemicals in a locked cupboard, out of reach from children and away from food Products that are green or enviro friendly and have disinfectant claims require a DIN A Household Bleach Disinfectant Solution for General Purposes To prepare a minimum of 1:100 (one part bleach to 99 parts water) disinfection solution (500 ppm): Add 1 teaspoon of household bleach (5.25% sodium hypochlorite) to 2 cups of water or, Add 5 ml of household bleach (5.25% sodium hypochlorite) to 500 ml of water Allow a contact time of 2 minutes. Make fresh bleach solution every day. Household bleach solution concentration can be calculated using Public Health Ontario s chlorine dilution calculator at the following link: *Chlorine test reagent strips should be used to confirm concentration. When unsure, you can always consult with a public health inspector. Niagara Region Public Health 5