OAR 581-021-0568: Standards for Seclusion Rooms

(1) Beginning with the 2014–15 school year, public education programs must meet the following standards for the structural and physical requirements for rooms designated by the school to be used for seclusion: (a) Any wall that is part of the room used for seclusion must be part of the structural integrity of the room (not free standing cells or portable units attached to the existing wall or floor), and must be no less than 64 square feet; the distance between adjacent walls must be no less than 7 feet across. (b) The room must not be isolated from school staff of the facility; (c) Doors must be unlocked or equipped with immediate-release locking mechanisms; (d) The door must open outward and contain a port of shatterproof glass or plastic through which the entire room may be viewed from outside; half doors are acceptable options as well where direct visual monitoring can occur. (e) The room must contain no protruding, exposed, or sharp objects; (f) The room must contain no free standing furniture. (g) Windows must be transparent for both staff and the student to see in/out, and made of unbreakable or shatterproof glass or plastic. Non-shatterproof glass must be protected by adequate climb-proof screening; (h) There must be no exposed pipes or electrical wiring in the room. Electrical outlets must be permanently capped or covered with a metal shield secured by tamper-proof screws. The room must contain lights which must be recessed or covered with screening, safety glass or unbreakable plastic. Any cover, cap or shield must be secured by tamper-proof screws; (i) The room must meet State Fire Marshal fire, safety, and health standards. If sprinklers are installed, they must be recessed and/or covered with a cage. If pop-down type, sprinklers must have breakaway strength of less than 80 pounds. In lieu of sprinklers, combined smoke and heat detector must be used with similar protective design or installation; (j) The room must be ventilated; heating and cooling vents must be secure and out of reach; (k) The room must be designed and equipped in a manner that would not allow a child to climb up a wall; (l) Walls, floor and ceiling must be solidly and smoothly constructed, to be cleaned easily, and have no rough or jagged portions; and (m) Seclusion cells are prohibited as provided in OAR 581-021-0569. (2) These standards are first applicable on or after July 1, 2014.