Existing Group Home Day Cares, Day Care Centers, and Adult Day Services Checklist

Occupancy Determination

  1. The occupancy classification is Group E Educational if there are more than 5 children older than 2 ½ years of age. 2021 IBC 305.2
  2. The occupancy classification is Group I-4 Institutional if there are more than 5 children 2 ½ years of age or younger. 2021 IBC 308.5.2
    Exception:
    A child day care facility that provides care for more than 5 but not more than 100 children 2 ½ years or less of age, where the rooms in which the children are cared for are located on a level of exit discharge serving such rooms and each of these child care rooms has an exit door directly to the exterior, shall be classified as Group E.
  3. Adult Day Services:
    1. Classified as Group I-4 unless the occupants can evacuate without assistance.
    2. If occupants can evacuate without assistance, the classification is the same as the occupancy classification as the building in which it is located. A letter from the operator stating that they will only accept occupants that can evacuate without assistance is needed for our files.

General

  1. Has construction occurred that requires approval from the State Fire Marshal’s Office? – Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-02-03-.02
  2. Does the facility have the address posted? 2021 IFC 505.1
  3. Have monthly egress and relocation drills been conducted and documented? 2021 IFC 405.1     
  4. Are fire prevention inspections conducted monthly and documented? 2021 IFC 406.3     
  5. Is an emergency plan in place and documented? 2021 IFC 404.2     
  6. Is the facility free from unvented fuel-fired heating equipment? 2021 IFC 605.5
  7. If heating equipment is in occupied areas of the facility, are there screens or partitions to protect the occupants from getting burned? 2021 IFC 605.6
  8. Is storage of material orderly? 2021 IFC 315.3
  9. Is storage of combustible materials separated from heaters or heating devices? 2021 IFC 315.3
  10. Is storage maintained 24 inches below the ceiling in non-sprinklered buildings or 18 inches below the deflector in sprinklered buildings? 2021 IFC 315
    Exception:
    The 18-inch and 24-inch ceiling clearance is not required for storage along walls in non-sprinklered areas of buildings or buildings equipped with a sprinkler system.
  11. Is the means of egress free from storage? 2021 IFC 315.3.2
  12. Are boiler rooms, mechanical rooms, elevator machine rooms, electrical equipment rooms or fire command centers free from combustible storage? 2021 IFC 315.3.3
  13. Are attic, under-floor, and concealed spaces used for storage of combustible materials protected on the storage side as 1-hour fire resistance rated construction? 2021 IFC 315.4
    Exception:
    Protection is not required for areas protected by an automatic sprinkler system.
  14. Are artwork and teaching material less than 20% of the wall in non-sprinklered buildings or 50% in sprinklered buildings? 2021 IFC 807.5.5.2, 807.5.2.3, and 807.5.5.3.
  15. Do draperies, curtains, and similar furnishings meet interior finish requirements? 2021 IFC 807.1
  16. Are interior wall and ceiling finish materials Class A, Class B, or Class C in client occupied spaces? 2021 IFC 803.1 & Table 803.3

Life Safety Systems (where applicable)

  1. Fire Alarm System
    1. Is the system operable? 2021 IFC 901.4
    2. Has the system been inspected annually? 2021 IFC 907.8
    3. Does the fire alarm control panel identify all initiating devices? 2021 IFC 907.6.3
    4. Is the system monitored? 2021 IFC 907.6.6
    5. Is the fire alarm control panel and annunciator protected by a smoke detector? 2021 IFC 907.4.1
    6. Is the fire alarm electrical circuit identified in red and have a circuit breaker lock? 2019 NFPA 72 10.6.5.2.3 and 10.6.5.4.
  2. Fire Sprinkler System
    1. Is the fire department connection identified and accessible? 2019 NFPA 13 16.12.5.7 and 16.12.5.8
    2. Has the system been inspected and tested in the last 12 months? 2020 NFPA 25 Chapter 5
    3. Are all control valves protected by tamper switches or locked open? 2020 NFPA 25 Chapter 5
    4. Are areas subject to temperatures under 40 degrees protected by approved means? 2019 NFPA 13 16.4.1
    5. Is the sprinkler system connected to the fire alarm system? 2021 IFC 903.4.2
    6. Is a spare sprinkler head cabinet/box provided with extra heads and a wrench? 2020 NFPA 25 5.4.1.5
  3. Fire Extinguishers
    1. Are extinguishers installed in proper locations? 2021 IFC 906.1
    2. Are the extinguishers charged and inspected in accordance with 2018 NFPA 10?
    3. Is a Class K extinguisher installed in kitchens? 2021 IFC 906.4.2
    4. Is the extinguisher in a conspicuous location and not obstructed? 2021 IFC 906.5 and 906.6
    5. Is the extinguisher installed properly? 2021 IFC 906.7, 906.8, and 906.9
  4. Kitchen Hood
    1. Is a Type I hood installed where cooking produces grease laden vapors? 2021 IFC 606.2
    2. Has the hood been annually cleaned? 2021 IFC 606.3.3.1
    3. Is the hood free of accumulations of grease? 2021 IFC 606.3.3.2
    4. Does the kitchen hood have a tag or label showing who and when it was last serviced? 2021 IFC 606.3.3.3.1
    5. Do gas-fired appliances subject to being moved or on casters have connector restraining devices? 2021 IFC 606.4
  5. Kitchen Hood Fire Suppression
    1. Does the Type I kitchen hood have a fire extinguishing system installed? 2021 IFC 904.13
    2. Is the suppression system connected to the building fire alarm system? 2021 IFC 904.3.5
    3. Has the suppression system been maintained and inspected every 6 months? 2021 IFC 904.13.5
    4. Are carbon monoxide detectors located in all rooms where care is provided? Tenn. Code Ann. § 68-120-122
      Exception:
      Adult Day Services facilities

Means of Egress

  1. Is the means of egress maintained free and clear of storage? 2021 IFC1003.6 and 1032.2
  2. Are exits marked, and have exit signs and emergency lights been maintained? 2021 IBC 10.32.4, 10.32.10, and 1104.3
  3. Do travel distances to exits not exceed the following limits? 
    1. Group E Educational: 200 feet in non-sprinklered buildings. 250 feet in sprinklered buildings. 2021 IFC Table 1017.2
    2. Group I-4 Institutional: 150 feet in non-sprinklered buildings. 200 feet in sprinklered buildings. 2021 IFC Table 1017.2
  4. Are dead-end corridors 20 feet or less (50 feet in sprinklered buildings). 2021 IFC 1020.5
  5. Are two means of egress provided where the occupant load or common path of travel limits are exceeded? 2021 IFC 1006.2.1
    1. Group E Educational: Greater than 49 occupants or common path of travel greater than 75ft.
    2. Group I-4 Institutional: Greater than 10 occupants or common path of travel greater than 75ft when sprinklered.
  6. Is there a minimum of 2 exits per floor? 2021 IFC 1006.3.3
  7. Are all exit doors recognizable and free of obstruction? 2021 IFC 1010.1
  8. Is the means of egress illuminated and has emergency power? 2021 IFC 1032.10 and 1104.5
  9. Are handrails and guards for stairs and ramps provided and compliant? 2021 IFC 1014.1 and 1104.6
  10. Are the closet door locks arranged to allow an occupant to open the door from the inside? 2021 IFC 1010.2.6
  11. Do corridors serving an occupant load greater than 30 and the openings therein provide an effective barrier to resist the movement of smoke? Are transoms, louvers, doors and other openings kept closed or are self-closing? 2021 IFC 1104.17
    Exception:
    Corridors in Group E Educational occupancies where each room utilized for instruction or assembly has not less than one-half of the required means of egress doors opening directly to the exterior of the building at ground level.
  12. Are security devices affecting the means of egress approved? Security devices and locking arrangements in the means of egress that restrict, control, or delay egress shall be installed and maintained in accordance with 2021 IFC 1032.2.2.

Fire Compartmentalization

  1. Are fire-resistance ratings of the following maintained? 2021 IFC 701.2
    1. Structural members.
    2. Exterior walls, fire walls, fire barriers, fire partitions.
    3. Horizontal assemblies.
    4. Shaft enclosures.
  2. Are the fire-resistance ratings and smoke-resistant characteristics of smoke barriers maintained? 2021 IFC 701.3
  3. Are the smoke-resistant characteristics of smoke partitions maintained? 2021 IFC 701.4
  4. Are materials, systems, and devices used to repair or protect breaches and openings in fire-resistance-rated construction and construction installed to resist the passage of smoke maintained? 2021 IFC 701.5
  5. Are opening protectives in fire-resistance-rated assemblies maintained in accordance with NFPA 80? Are fire doors and smoke and draft control doors unblocked, unobstructed, and not made inoperable? Are opening protectives and smoke and draft controls unmodified? 2021 IFC 705.2
  6. Do swinging fire doors close from the full-open position and latch automatically? 2021 IFC 705.2.5

Electrical

  1. Are outlets within 6 feet of sinks GFCI protected? 2017 NFPA 70 Article 210.8 (B)
  2. Are open slots in electrical panels filled by an approved method? 2017 NFPA 70 Article 408.7
  3. Are there 3 feet of clearance at electrical panels? 2021 IFC 603.4
  4. Are junction box covers in place? 2021 IFC 603.2.2
  5. Is wiring installed properly and not exposed? 2021 IFC 603.2.2 
  6. Are extension cords only for temporary use and not used for permanent wiring? 2021 IFC 603.6
  7. Are relocatable power taps (surge protectors) directly connected to a permanently installed receptacle? 2021 IFC 603.5.2
  8. Are relocatable power taps not extended through walls, ceilings, floors, under doors, or floor coverings, or subject to environmental or physical damage? 2021 IFC 603.5.3
  9. Are extension cord amp ratings rated for the capacity of the portable appliance served? 2021 IFC 603.6.2
  10. Are electrical outlets tamper resistant? 2020 NFPA 70 Article 406.12