Operations of a child care facility.
San Antonio City Code § 15-225
in effectSec. 15-225. - Operations of a child care facility.
(a) General requirements common to all child care facility operations:
(1) Animals:
a. All animals shall be kept in accordance with the applicable city Code pertaining to animals and livestock.
b. Animals kept on the premises shall be vaccinated according to the recommendations of a licensed veterinarian.
c. The facility and yard shall be kept free of stray animals.
d. Animals are prohibited from food preparation areas and food storage areas at any time.
e. Unpenned animals are prohibited in areas when food is being served.
f. Provisions shall be made to prevent access of animal feces by children and the premises must be kept free of animal feces.
g. The facility shall seek consultation for the keeping of other than domesticated animals.
h. It shall be the duty of the owners, operator or person in charge to comply with the provisions of this subsection.
(2) Building, equipment and grounds:
a. Cribs shall meet U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Guidelines (1974). Crib slats shall be spaced no more than two and three eighths (2⅜) inches apart, the minimum height shall be twenty-two (22) inches from the top of the railing to the mattress at its lowest level, and shall have no corner post extensions above two (2) inches.
b. The walls and ceiling inside the building shall be maintained in a state of good repair.
c. All surfaces shall be provided with a minimum of twenty (20) foot candles of light at a distance of thirty (30) inches from the floor.
d. All floors shall be maintained in state of good repair in order that they may be properly cleaned.
e. All floors shall be cleaned as often as necessary to prevent accumulations of dust and lint.
f. The roof of the building shall be repaired when necessary to prevent leaks.
g. Doors and windows shall be repaired as necessary to prevent entry of rodents and insects.
h. The grounds shall be kept clean and free of litter at all times.
i. Playground equipment shall be maintained in a state of good repair at all times in accordance with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Guidelines for public playground safety.
j. A swimming pool, if present, shall be operated and maintained in accordance with city codes and applicable state standards.
k. All equipment designated for use by children shall be maintained in a clean condition and in good repair.
l. Children shall not be cared for in indoor areas or space in temperatures greater than eighty-four (84) degrees Fahrenheit or less than sixty-five (65) degrees Fahrenheit, to be measured at a level where children's activity takes place.
m. Wading pools when used shall be maintained according to department requirements.
n. Impact-absorbing surfaces made of energy-absorbing mats or loose materials such as wood chips or sand shall be provided under playground climbing equipment. Such materials shall be maintained so that the surface is not allowed to become compacted.
o. It shall be the duty of the owners, operator or person in charge to comply with the provisions of this subsection.
(3) Hygienic practices:
a. General:
1. All surfaces, including toys, that come in contact with children's mouths shall be sanitized on a daily basis.
2. Staff shall make provisions for proper storage and handling of items of personal hygiene.
b. Handwashing:
1. Handwashing facilities shall be easily accessible to children.
2. Soap, disposable towels and sanitary tissue shall be provided.
3. Children shall wash hands after using the toilet, before eating meals or snacks, and before taking part in food preparation activities.
4. Hot water temperature shall not exceed one hundred twenty (120) degrees Fahrenheit at outlets used by children.
5. Hot and cold water, under pressure, shall be supplied to all handwashing sites by means of a mixing faucet.
6. Where multi-use or reusable hand towels or washcloths are used, provisions shall be made to ensure that cross-contamination does not occur.
c. Diapering:
1. Care givers shall change children's diapers on a smooth, non-absorbent, and easily cleanable surface or a surface with a clean, disposable, non-permeable covering.
2. Dirty disposable diapers and table coverings shall be put immediately into plastic-bag lined, waste receptacles which have tight-fitting lids and to which the children have no access.
3. Soiled clothing, including non-disposable diapers, shall be placed immediately in separate plastic bags labeled with the child's name for laundering.
4. After every use the diaper-hanging area, whether or not a non-permeable covering is used, shall be cleaned, wiped with a sanitizing solution and allowed to dry.
5. Guidelines established by the Texas Department of Health shall be followed for sanitation of diaper-hanging surfaces.
6. Facilities that care for infants shall have a lavatory located in the immediate vicinity of the diaper-hanging table equipped with hot and cold running water with a mixing type faucet.
d. It shall be the duty of the owners, operator, person in charge, or care giver to comply with the provisions of this subsection.
(4) Immunizations and disease control:
a. The child care facility health records shall be available for inspection by the director of health or his representative at all times.
b. Immunizations required by this article shall be those set forth by the director of health.
c. It shall be the responsibility of the facility's operator to seek recommendations from the department on appropriate methods for control of infectious diseases.
d. The department shall make available to facilities recommendations on appropriate measures for control of infectious diseases.
e. All child care facility employees shall have two (2) hours annually of training in general sanitation.
f. It shall be the duty of the owners, operator, or person in charge to comply with the provisions of this subsection.
(5) Pest control:
a. Effective measures such as excluding, inspecting and exterminating shall be used to minimize the entry, presence and propagation of rodents, insect, birds or other pests.
b. The premises shall be maintained so that harborage or feeding of insects, rodents, birds, or other pests will be prevented. (Chapter 15, Article V)
c. It shall be the duty of the owners, operator, person in charge, or care giver to comply with the provisions of this subsection.
(6) Staff health:
a. People whose behavior or health appears to endanger the health, safety, or well-being of children must not be at the center.
b. People must not smoke in the children's presence or consume alcohol when children are at the center. People who appear to be under the influence of alcohol or other drugs must not be in the center when children are present.
c. Staff members who have a chronic or acute illness which requires treatment with medications whose use could result in impaired judgment shall make those conditions known to the director of the facility.
d. It shall be the duty of the owners, operator, person in charge, or care giver to comply with the provisions of this subsection.
(7) Toilet facilities:
a. Toilet facilities shall be designed, located and the number required in accordance with the Texas Department of Human Services minimum requirements.
b. Facilities that keep infants shall have a lavatory with hot and cold running water and a mixing-type faucet in the immediate vicinity of the diaper-changing table.
c. Toilet facilities shall be maintained in a clean sanitary condition.
d. Lavatories shall be of a size appropriate to small children. Step stools, when used to make lavatories accessible, shall be of stable design.
e. Restroom doors, when present on toilet rooms used by the children, shall not be equipped with locks or self-closing devices except that facilities providing after school care to school age children only shall be exempt from this requirement.
f. It shall be the duty of the owners, operator or person in charge to comply with the provisions of this subsection.
(8) First-Aid: The facility shall make provisions for the following:
a. A first-aid kit containing, as a minimum: adhesive bandages, soap, cotton tip applicators, absorbent cotton, sterile gauze squares, adhesive tape, magnifying glass, tweezers for removing splinters, hydrogen peroxide, syrup of ipecac, and a thermometer.
b. Supplies being kept handy in a designated location, out of the children's reach, and providing a guide to first-aid and emergency care.
c. It shall be the duty of the owners, operator or person in charge to comply with the provisions of this subsection.
(b) Requirements related to the child care facilities involved in the on-site preparation of food service. The "Rules on Food Service Sanitation" are adopted by reference for use in facilities involved in the on-site preparation of food. Child care facility food service staff shall have a minimum of six (6) hours training in food service sanitation yearly.
(Ord. No. 69216, § 1(6), 4-6-89)
Source: City of San Antonio, City Code, City Charter and Unified Development Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/san_antonio/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICO_CH15HE_ARTIXRECHCAFA_S15-225OPCHCAFAFetched: 10/27/2026