Our Question is regarding locking cabinets that have medicine or cleaners in it. Does it matter what type of lock is used? We are having trouble with our “keyed locks” having keys break off in them. Can we use a latch type lock (sliding with a chain). The cabinets that we use are above the sinks in a classroom, and are more than five feet high, so already out of a child’s reach.
South Carolina child care regulations require medications to be stored in a separate locked container, taking into consideration proper conditions such as sanitation, temperature, light, and moisture. A child-proof latch could not be substituted for a lock. If you choose to place that locked container in a cabinet, a child-proof latch may be used to secure the cabinet door, but there would still need to be a lock on the medication container. Cleaning materials should never be stored in the same place as medications, and child-proof latches are acceptable on cabinet doors where cleaning materials are stored.