C04_Attch 3 - FSH6709.11-HealthAndSafetyCodeHandbookCh50Sec55TemporaryCamps.pdf

WO AMENDMENT 6709.11-2018-1

EFFECTIVE DATE: 12/03/2018

DURATION: This amendment is effective until superseded or removed.

6709.11_50

FSH 6709.11 - HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE HANDBOOK

CHAPTER 50 - EMPLOYEE SAFETY, SECURITY, AND HEALTH

54.4 - Altitude-Related Problems

High altitude (8,000 feet or 2,438 meters and higher above sea level) affects a person's ability to take in, transport, and utilize oxygen, thus affecting work capacity. During acclimation, employees working in high altitudes should work slower and take frequent breaks to avoid excessive fatigue. These employees should eat a high-carbohydrate diet for added energy and take special care to maintain hydration since altitude hastens fluid loss.

Individuals vary in their ability to acclimatize; some adjust quickly without discomfort while acute mountain sickness (AMS) develops in others.

AMS commonly occurs above 8,000 feet and presents itself as a collection of symptoms such as dehydration, exhaustion, flu-like illness, or hangover. The incidence and severity of AMS depend on the rate of ascent, altitude attained (especially the sleeping altitude), length of exposure, level of exertion, and inherent physiologic susceptibility. Treatment for AMS includes descending to a lower altitude and administrating oxygen, if available.

Other altitude-related problems include a decrease in temperature and the effects of cold;

ultraviolet penetration that increases the risk of sunburn, skin cancer, and snow blindness.

55 - TEMPORARY CAMPS

The requirements for health and safety in temporary labor camps, which accommodate large numbers of workers and can be reached by highway or forest road, differ from those for remote-site camps, which serve only a few employees and typically can’t be reached by road.

The following direction concerning water supply, sanitation, and food service operations applies to a large temporary labor camp. Safety hygiene and other concerns of remote camps are addressed in section 55.12.

55.01 - Authority

The authority for sanitation and temporary camps is in Title 29, Code of Federal Regulations, sections 1910.141 and 1910.142.

55.06 - Reference

Red Cross - Youth Camp Director's Safety Guide. Swimming and Water Safety.

Stock No. 321147 and Stock No. 321215. National Safety Council, 425 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611.

DURATION: This amendment is effective until superseded or removed.

55.1 - Procedures

Line Officers shall ensure fire prevention/suppression and emergency evacuation procedures are identified.

1. Fire extinguishers must be provided, located, identified, and readily accessible to employees.

2. Smoke detectors must be provided where appropriate.

55.11 - Temporary Camp Requirements

55.11a - Water Supply

Line Officers shall ensure the following is addressed:

1. Provide an adequate and convenient water supply approved by the appropriate health authority for drinking, cooking, bathing, and laundry purposes.

2. Never assume water is safe. As a general policy, use only potable water from a tested and approved source.

3. Store water in safe, properly labeled containers.

4. Ensure that drinking water is dispensed in individual sanitary containers, such as paper cups, if fountains are not available or bottled water is provided. One-for-all canteens or drinking cups and other common utensils are prohibited (29 CFR 1910.142). Where single-service cups are supplied, provide both a sanitary container for unused cups and a receptacle for used cups.

55.11b - Other Requirements

Line Officers shall ensure the following is addressed:

1. Install all cooking, heating, and water heating equipment in accordance with State and local ordinances, codes, and regulations governing such installations.

2. If a camp is used during cold weather, provide adequate heating equipment.

3. Provide beds, bunks, cots, and suitable storage facilities, such as wall lockers, for clothing and personal effects.

DURATION: This amendment is effective until superseded or removed.

a. Ensure that each room for sleeping contains at least 50 square feet (15-1/4 m2) of floor space per occupant and that shelters have at least seven-foot (two m) ceilings.

b. Place beds no closer than 36 inches (1 m), both laterally and end-to-end, and at least 12 inches (1/3 m) off the floor.

c. Space double-deck bunks no closer than 48 inches (1-1/5 m), both laterally and end-to-end. The minimum amount of clear space required between the upper and lower bunk is 27 inches (1/2 m). Triple-deck bunks are prohibited.

4. Ensure that living quarters have windows. The window area must total at least one-tenth of the floor area. Half of the windows must open for ventilation.

a. Doors and windows must be screened with 16-mesh material.

b. Doors must be equipped with self-closing devices.

5. Where personnel cook, live, and sleep in the same area, provide 100 square feet (30- 1/2 m) per person.

6. Provide sanitary facilities for storing and preparing food.

7. Ensure that floors are level and constructed of asphalt, concrete, or wood. Wooden floors must be smooth and tight and kept in good repair.

a. Wooden floors must be elevated at least one foot (1/3 m) above the ground. Back filling around outer walls is permissible in areas subject to extreme temperatures.

b. Steps must have no more than an eight-inch (204 mm) rise and nonslip treads.

Where four or more steps are present, handrails are required.

8. Ensure that each camp has a first-aid kit(s) available with appropriate medical supplies to effectively respond to the types of medical emergencies anticipated. At least one person must be certified in first aid/CPR.

9. Provide for communications systems. Cellphone, radio, or telephone communications with the field-crew headquarters or other links to emergency dispatch or responders must be maintained. Have a daily contact schedule for every camp. Include measures that will be taken in case a reporting schedule is missed.

10. Where camps are near roads, provide a vehicle for emergency use.

DURATION: This amendment is effective until superseded or removed.

55.11c - Camp Sanitation

Line Officers shall ensure employees observe the following:

Construct, operate, and maintain temporary camps according to national and local public health standards (29 CFR 1910.141 and 1910.142).

When living in government camps or quarters, maintain reasonable standards of personal hygiene and housekeeping. Take effective measures to prevent flies, rodents, and other insects and animals from infesting camps. Keep all places clean to the extent that the nature of the work allows.

1. Place central refuse bins on a hard surface to prevent tipping.

2. Collection must be frequent enough to prevent overflow, fly breeding, rodent and vermin infestation, and odors. Open burning of rubbish and debris is discouraged and is subject to local ordinance.

3. Clean and sanitize cabins and tents weekly or more often as needed.

4. Clean and sanitize kitchens and restrooms daily.

a. Always maintain a supply of soap, hot water, clean towels, and toilet paper.

b. Keep showers, including mats, clean; disinfect them daily.

5. Keep subsistence supplies carefully and properly stored and protected from ants, flies, rodents, and weather.

6. Where toilet facilities are provided for employees, proceed as follows:

a. Maintain natural or artificial lighting at all hours of the day and night.

b. Keep toilet rooms sanitary and clean them daily.

c. Where a sewer is available, connect all camp sewer lines and floor drains from buildings to the sewer.

d. Keep toilet facilities supplied with toilet paper and ensure that the number of toilets complies with OSHA standards (29 CFR 1910.142 (d)). As a general rule, provide one toilet for every 15 people but never less than two per camp.

DURATION: This amendment is effective until superseded or removed.

55.11d - Food and Food Service Operations

Line Officers shall ensure the following is observed:

A properly constructed kitchen and dining hall must be adequate in size and separate from sleeping quarters and lavatories, with no openings leading from living or sleeping quarters into the kitchen or dining hall.

1. Operate food service facilities in accordance with sound hygienic principles. When all or part of the food service is provided, ensure the food dispensed is wholesome and free from spoilage and is processed, prepared, handled, and stored to protect from contamination.

2. Ensure that cooks meet State and local health requirements.

a. Do not permit any person with a communicable disease, including colds, to prepare, cook, serve, or otherwise handle food, foodstuffs, or materials in any kitchen or dining room. Food handlers shall have clean hands and fingernails and be free from open sores.

b. Ensure that persons wash hands thoroughly with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds before handling food and engaging in food preparation.

c. To prevent food contamination, ensure that persons working in kitchens and dining halls wear hair nets (or caps) and clean clothes.

3. Keep kitchen areas and food storage facilities free of insects, pests, and rodents.

Windows, door screens, and rodent-proof food storage facilities are basic requirements.

a. Ensure that floors and food preparation surfaces are cleaned daily.

b. Use different cutting boards for raw and cooked foods. Plastic boards are easier to clean.

c. Scrub containers and utensils used in handling uncooked foods with hot, soapy water before using them with ready-to-serve foods.

4. Inspect cooking facilities frequently for general sanitary conditions and individual housekeeping standards.

a. Inspect food storage facilities, including cabinets, coolers, freezers, refrigerators, and vaults, for cleanliness, food shelf-life, insect/rodent infestation, and spoilage.

Conduct and document food storage inspections weekly.

DURATION: This amendment is effective until superseded or removed.

b. Provide filters above grills. Clean the hoods over grills at least weekly to remove grease deposits. Equip them with an automatic fire extinguishing system or grease extractors.

5. Store all perishable food at temperatures that retard spoilage.

6. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers in small, covered shallow containers within two hours after cooking—the quicker the better. Leave airspace around containers to help assure rapid, even cooling. Individual food portions, once served, may be served again only if they are safe and uncontaminated.

a. Thaw foods in the refrigerator.

b. Dispose of all contaminated, moldy, or spoiled foods immediately. Throw out all leftovers after three days.

c. Maintain all potentially hazardous food at safe temperatures (ex. 01), except during necessary periods of preparation and service.

d. Place thermometers in each refrigeration unit and post the proper temperature levels near the thermometer.

(1) Keep cold foods cold (below 40°F/4°C for refrigerated foods; 0°F/-17°C for freezer foods.)

(2) Keep hot foods hot (140°F/60°C or above until ready to serve).

(3) Heat foods thoroughly: a rolling boil for gravies, sauces, soups, and other moist foods; 165°F/74°C for all other foods.

e. Limit food preparation to areas specifically designated for this purpose. Eat prepared food in specified dining areas, not in sleeping areas.

f. Unless other arrangements are made and mutually agreed upon, require each employee preparing personal meals to be responsible for cleaning cooking facilities, appliances, and personal cooking and eating utensils after the meal.

g. In cooking facilities, use or store only such toxic materials as are required to maintain sanitary conditions. Toxic materials must be identified, stored, and used only in such a manner and under such conditions that do not contaminate food or constitute a hazard to employees. Safety Data Sheets must be available and utilized for their intended purposes.

DURATION: This amendment is effective until superseded or removed.

55.11d - Exhibit 01

DURATION: This amendment is effective until superseded or removed.

55.12 - Spike Camps/Remote-Sites General Campout

When work projects or activities require camping out, it is important to be well prepared.

55.12a - Preparations

During campout situations, employees should observe the following:

1. Talk to coworkers who are familiar with the area. Study maps and aerial photos of the worksites and camp locations.

2. Ensure that the crew has reliable communications and a regular check-in schedule.

3. Prepare a travel itinerary and return-time schedule.

4. Procure foodstuffs carefully: avoid glassware; consider freeze-dried foods and other nonperishables; label everything; take along bags, bottles, and sealable plastic boxes for perishables; and purchase perishables just prior to departure.

5. Train personnel in the use of specific camp equipment, such as first-aid kits;

handtools; lanterns and stoves; compasses, global positioning systems (GPS), maps, and satellite emergency notification devices (SENDs) along with camp sanitation, radio operations, and survival techniques.

55.12b - Other Concerns

Employees should take appropriate steps to address the following:

1. Staff and equipment transportation.

2. Specific work or activity anticipated hazards.

3. Personal health needs.

4. Waste material disposal.

5. Camp choice and layout.

6. Weather and seasonal impacts.

7. Natural hazards such as areas subject to flash flooding, low marshy areas, overhanging cliffs, rock slides, tall grass, tree snags, and widowmakers.

DURATION: This amendment is effective until superseded or removed.

8. Adequate drainage. Choose campsites with the following attributes:

a. Not within 200 feet (61 m) of pools, sink holes, swamps, or other surface water collection areas unless mosquito control is in effect.

b. Free of depressions that collect water.

9. Sufficient space to prevent overcrowding.

10. Food preparation areas and sleeping quarters located at least 500 feet (152-1/2 m) from livestock areas.

11. Bear precautions for food storage and preparation.

12. Animal hazards, such as poisonous insects and snakes.

13. Poison ivy, oak, or sumac presence.

55.12c - Cooking Operations

Crew leaders should ensure that well-balanced meals are prepared. Because of the unique problems associated with transportation and storage of perishable foods at field camp locations, use freeze-dried, dehydrated, and other specially prepared food when possible.

1. Cooking area. Choose a clean and reasonably flat spot for food preparation and cooking.

Do not place cooking stoves inside tents. Use fly or tarps for protection from the weather.

If using charcoal, have regular starter fuel available. Never use gasoline or campstove fuel.

2. Meal preparation. Provide a wash area for cooks and kitchen helpers, complete with hot water, soap, and towels. Spread plastic sheets over food preparation areas and keep them clean. Food handler and helper personal cleanliness is essential. Contamination under field conditions can quickly become a serious health threat.

Open only the quantities of canned or sealed foods needed for each meal. Consume perishables as soon as possible. Cook all foods thoroughly to kill bacteria. Serve food hot.

3. Cooking utensils. Keep utensils clean. Store utensils in closed contamination-free containers until used. Never set dirty pots or containers on the food preparation surface.

Use gloves or tongs when handling hot pots.

DURATION: This amendment is effective until superseded or removed.

4. Food storage and serving. Store all unopened containers in the kitchen storage area.

Store all nonperishable foods in resealable plastic containers.

Keep the food serving area clean at all times. Never serve food with your fingers. Use disposable cups, eating utensils, and plates whenever possible.

55.12d - Food Rations

Employees should consider the following:

A wide variety of freeze-dried foods eliminate the concern for spoilage and should be considered for supplementing food supplies.

1. Inspect canned foods and emergency rations annually and before use. Open and inspect (10 percent random sample) rations held in dry storage (40°F to 65°F or 4°C to 18°C) that are three years old. If storage conditions are unknown or dry storage is not within the 40°F to 65°F range, inspect rations more often. Rations exposed to temperatures above 90°F (32°C) can spoil in a few weeks or within one year, depending on storage conditions. Destroy rations after the fourth year. Destroy canned food stored in an unheated building that has been subject to freezing and thawing.

2. Destroy any canned food showing evidence of damage or spoilage, regardless of the expiration date.

a. Dented, leaky, rusted, swollen, or weakened cans.

b. Contents with a flat or sour taste or mold growth.

3. If any doubt exists about the safety of canned rations or other foods, destroy them.

Always check the packing date and advise users to closely examine the contents before eating. Destroy food that is abnormal in appearance, odor, or taste.

55.12e - Water Purification of Undeveloped Sources

All undeveloped sources must be considered contaminated and unsafe for drinking water.

For field situations, employees shall provide or obtain safe drinking water through the following:

1. When available, use water from sources that comply with public water system standards.

2. Use bottled water.

3. Use a field water filter or purifier.

DURATION: This amendment is effective until superseded or removed.

4. Boil water as follows:

a. Strain water through a clean cloth to remove sediment or floating matter.

b. Boil water vigorously for at least three to five minutes.

c. Aerate to improve taste by pouring water back and forth from one clean container to another several times.

5. Sterilize canteens before each refilling in the following manner (unless each person has one for personal use):

a. Submerge canteens in a solution of liquid laundry bleach and water ratio 1:100 (one capful per gallon of water).

b. Keep canteens submerged for a minimum of one hour (canteens must be completely filled with solution).

c. Rinse thoroughly with clean water.

55.12f - After-Work, Organized Swimming Activities

Line Officers shall approve organized swimming activities. If organized swimming is approved, proceed as follows:

1. Ensure a risk assessment has been conducted to include a plan for water rescue and to respond immediately to accidents.

2. Designate a person qualified in water safety to supervise the activity.

a. Have a competent person inspect potential swimming areas for treacherous currents, deep holes, or other hazards. Keep swimming areas free of debris and rocks.

b. Do not permit anyone to enter the water alone. Equip the area with strategically placed life-saving equipment such as lines, reaching-poles, and ring-buoys.

c. Assign lifeguards whenever swimmers are in the water. Assign a lookout to observe all swimmers all the time. Use a buddy system.

d. Prohibit swimming after dark.

e. Monitor the weather.

f. Ensure that employees observe the following:

DURATION: This amendment is effective until superseded or removed.

(1) Do not swim if overheated.

(2) Are able to recognize exhaustion symptoms and treat the problem.

(3) Know how to treat cramps, which swimming in cold water can cause.

(4) Never dive into water until the depth and water temperature have been checked.

Check the location of others before diving.

54.4 - Altitude-Related Problems