FACILITY PROGRAMS

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• Tanning Facilities
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Schools:

The principal of my child's school has a puppy, which she brings to school every day, and stays primarily in her office. When the puppy is walked on a leash on school property, including the cafeteria, it has nipped a few kids and defecates on the carpet. Is this a health code violation? If so, to whom do I report it?

Our high school has decided to lock down all the students’ rest rooms with the exception of one. This is causing numerous students to stand in extremely long lines, and sometimes even cause them to find repulsive alternatives. Isn’t there a health law as to how many rest rooms need to be available for a public building?

Many teachers and students at the local school have been getting sick. Our school board has denied that there is a problem with the building that the students and teachers are located in, but has hired a private consultant to inspect the air quality of the building. Where can we request help on the supervision of the testing being done by this consultant?

I am looking for the regulation on opening a school and I can’t seem to find any information, student teacher ratio, and licensure. Basically I’m starting from scratch, could you tell me how to get it started?

What are the regulations on maintenance and keeping a public school sandbox clean?

As the owner of a small private school I am required to submit a DH 4030 inspection form, completed by the Department of Health. Our program is for those who will be in the scholastic program will consist of middle and high school age students. If the program is located in an office building, is it acceptable for the students, under supervision, to use the buildings community restrooms?

I am a director of a small high school which is considering leasing or purchasing a property previously occupied by a child care center. We cannot find a way of contacting the previous owners to find out the reason that they left that facility. How do we contact them to find out about their license and condition of the property?

I am currently in the process of opening a small private school for children with autism and related disabilities. What guideline can I use for the property so that we are able to pass a health inspection with the county?

What can we do if our child is denied access to the restroom to wash their hands before lunchtime?

I currently have a group care permit number from the local county health department and I am requesting that I no longer remit an annual fee for having this permit. I would like to be permitted under Chapter 64E-11.001 4(b) or the Florida Administrative Code (FAC)? I actually am a non-public school and I have recently been exempt from DCF licensing as a child care center. Therefore, am requesting an exemption from Department of Health inspections.

Recently my university has lowered our hot water temperature to conserve resources in the wake of the recent hurricanes due to state mandates. Is it sanitary to wash / rinse dishes with 100 degree water? And does 100 degree water do the job in the shower?

The principal of my child’s school has a puppy, which she brings to school every day, and stays primarily in her office. When the puppy is walked on a leash on school property, including the cafeteria, it has nipped a few kids and defecates on the carpet. Is this a health code violation? If so, to whom do I report it?

The Department of Health conducts routine inspections at school facilities for the physical plant and food hygiene standards. For more information regarding our role in school facilities, please visit our group care and food hygiene program websites:
http://www.doh.state.fl.us/environment/community/group/index.html and http://www.doh.state.fl.us/environment/community/food/index.html

Although, many school facilities have various animals on the campus and in the classrooms for educational purposes, the department does not have any rules restricting animals from school property or classrooms. However, for licensed kitchens, there are restrictions on animals in the kitchen and dining areas. Complaints, regarding physical plant or food hygiene issues, can be directed to the local county health department's environmental health section for investigation. Complaints can be anonymous if preferred; however, follow-up with the complainant is not possible when they are anonymous.

The Florida Statute 828.30 requires dogs, cats, and ferrets four months of age or older to be vaccinated against rabies. Additionally, any animal bite must be reported to either the local animal control within the city or county; if none exists, contact the local county health department's environmental health section, for investigation and possible quarantine of the animal.
 

Our high school has decided to lock down all the students’ rest rooms with the exception of one. This is causing numerous students to stand in extremely long lines, and sometimes even cause them to find repulsive alternatives. Isn’t there a health law as to how many rest rooms need to be available for a public building?

To make a complaint contact the local county health department’s environmental health section in the county that the school is located.

6A-2.0040 (Sanitation Standards K-12 private Schools), Chapter 6A2.0040, 6A2-0010, Public School Educational Facilities.

Many teachers and students at the local school have been getting sick. Our school board has denied that there is a problem with the building that the students and teachers are located in, but has hired a private consultant to inspect the air quality of the building. Where can we request help on the supervision of the testing being done by this consultant?

Be advised: The Florida Department of Health is not authorized to supervise the school board nor the consultant hired by the school board. Nor are we aware of any federal or state of Florida agency authorized to supervise indoor air quality assessment activities of consultants or school boards; the decisions of hiring and sampling rest solely on the Superintendent and the School Board.

On the subject of managing indoor air quality in school buildings consider reviewing the following information provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Consider speaking with school administrators if they are interested in adopting the IAQ tools for schools concept at your child's school.

http://www.epa.gov/iaq

I am looking for the regulation on opening a school and I can’t seem to find any information, student teacher ratio, and licensure. Basically I’m starting from scratch, could you tell me how to get it started?

The Department of Health (DOH) regulates and inspects public and private schools in Florida using 64E-11 food hygiene, 64E-6 onsite sewage treatment systems, 64E-9 swimming pools, and 64E-8 limited use wells per the Florida Administrative Codes. Pool, well water used for drinking, and septic systems requirements may not be applicable depending on the utility services available to the property selected or if a pool is not proposed.  The Department of Health conducts one routine physical plant inspection on each public and private school annually.  The annual facility sanitation inspection covers the school site, playgrounds and athletic equipment, building construction and maintenance, lighting standards, heating and air ventilation, natural ventilation, mechanical ventilation, sanitary facilities, handwashing facilities, water supply, sewage disposal, pest control, first aid kits, diaper changing stations, and animal health & safety.

Group Care Website:

http://www.doh.state.fl.us/environment/community/group/sch.htm

Food Hygiene Website:

http://www.doh.state.fl.us/environment/community/food/index.html

Septic Website:

http://www.doh.state.fl.us/environment/ostds/index.html

Also, non-public schools are required to register with the Department of Education. Their website is:

http://www.floridaschoolchoice.org/Information/Private_Schools/default.asp?whichView=administrator

For any other questions contact the local county health department, environmental health section, then asks for the program person specifically related to the question.