The state of Nevada takes the safety of children seriously and, as such, has established laws aimed at facilities that offer services to children. These facilities may include schools, daycares, gymnasiums, art centers, public pools and even churches.
According to the Nevada State Legislature, one of these standards concerns room temperature. To protect children from heat illnesses or ailments caused by cold drafts, it is important to keep rooms used by children within a certain range. For example, during the warmer months, starting in April and extending through September, rooms should be no warmer than 82 degrees but no colder than 68 degrees. In the colder months, which are considered October through March, rooms should be maintained between 65 and 82 degrees. Additionally, building owners should check the rooms for any drafts, which could cause children to come down with the flu or a cold.
Another standard is the amount of space that should be allotted to children. If the facility is planning to offer an outdoor play area, each child should have at least 37 1/2 square feet. Interior space is set at 35 square feet per child. If the facility has a license for children’s services, it should make sure that the space requirement meets the maximum number of children that the facility is licensed to serve. For example, a private school that has a license for 150 students would need to make sure that there is at least 5,625 square feet of interior space. This space does not include storage rooms, bathrooms, kitchens, gyms that are not in regular use, multipurpose rooms and hallways.
Facilities are also responsible for the security of their premises, installing safety measures to prevent children from leaving the outdoor play area, maintaining equipment to make sure that it is not dangerous to children, checking for any potentially harmful plants, and that emergency evacuation measures are in place and practiced. If a facility fails to address potentially dangerous situations, the State Bar of Nevada states that parents may be able to show that the facility acted negligently. Parents will also need to show that their child suffered an injury that required medical or professional care, and that the facility had a responsibility to protect their child from harm.
