Rule 15-11-55-4.4.2 - General Safety1. Equipment and Facilities a. All equipment and facilities used in youth camp programs, whether owned by the camp or not, shall be of good quality and not present undue risk.b. Archery equipment, firearms, and ammunition shall be stored in a locked cabinet or building when not in use.c. Power equipment shall not be stored, operated, or left unattended without proper safeguards in camper areas. All power tools shall be stored in a locked place not occupied by campers. Power tools and outboard motors shall be used by campers only under the direct supervision of counselors.d. Equipment used for arts and crafts shall be in good repair, of safe design and properly installed.e. Commercial playground equipment shall be securely anchored to imbedded concrete or other approved footing, acceptable to the Department.f. All water craft shall be equipped with U.S. Coast Guard approved personal flotation devices of types I, II, or III as prescribed for the specific type of craft and number and age of occupants. Water skiers shall wear a vest as approved by the U.S. Coast Guard for that particular activity. Water craft towing a skier shall have an observer on board.g. All swimming and diving areas shall be provided with selected safety equipment which is in good useable condition. Appropriate staff shall be trained in the proper use of said equipment.h. All piers, floats, platforms, and decks shall be in good repair and, where applicable, the water depth shall be indicated by printed numerals on the deck or planking.i. Firearms and archery ranges shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with the standards of the appropriate national professional association.2. Emergency Procedures - Residential Camps a. When telephones are provided, camp operators shall maintain and post by each phone a current roster of telephone numbers of physicians, hospitals, police, ambulance, and fire departments in the immediate area.b. The camp program shall include written contingency plans and related procedures dealing with circumstances such as natural disasters and other emergencies. i. Fire drills shall be held within the first 24 hours at the beginning of each camp session and frequently enough thereafter to minimize danger of panic.ii. Each camp shall have at the campsite a written disaster plan. All staff shall be advised of the procedures contained in the plan. Arrangements for transporting individuals from the camp to emergency facilities shall be included in the plan.iii. Lost camper and lost swimmer plans shall be formulated and on file. Appropriate staff shall be trained in the procedures contained in these plans.iv. A plan for communicating with emergency medical facilities as well as the nearest fire station regarding responses to emergency situations shall be on file at the camp. v. When tents are used for sleeping purposes, whether or not said tents are located on platforms, procedures shall be developed to ensure rapid evacuation in the event of an emergency.vi. A plan relating to the control of the movement of vehicular traffic through the camp shall be on file.3. Injury Control - Residential Camps a. Premises shall be reasonably free of hazards such as: i. Old refrigerators with doors, freestanding walls, open cisterns, open grease traps and unsafe fences in which children can be caught or strangled.ii. Substances which may be toxic if ingested, inhaled or handled, including, but not limited to drugs, medications, pool chemicals, pesticides and other toxic chemicals which shall be plainly marked and stored in locked cabinets or enclosures located in an area not accessible to campers.b. Other Precautions i. Gasoline and other petroleum products shall be stored in accordance with existing and applicable State and local laws, ordinances and regulations dealing with safety.ii. Radiators, registers, steam, and hot water pipes shall have protective covering or insulation for the protection of campers and staff.iii. Floor furnaces, open grate gas heaters, electric heaters or other heaters shall not be operated by campers. When fuel ignition type heaters are used, they shall be properly vented and installed with permanent connections and protectors and shall have sealed combustion chambers.iv. Glass doors and glass panels adjacent to doors shall be marked. v. Stairways over four steps in height shall be equipped with hand rails.vi. Rooms shall not be equipped with open or unguarded stairwells, windows which present a hazard from falling, unsafely located, or constructed electrical outlets, any broken items which may cause injury and elevators or other vertical shafts.c. Potentially Hazardous Areas i. Campers shall be informed about potential natural hazards to their safety and, where feasible, "hazardous area" shall be posted. Such natural or potential hazards shall include but not be limited to: ii. Noxious plants, harmful reptiles, insects, and rodentsiii. Steep drop-offs, cliffs or mine shafts in the area iv. Swimming or diving areas or streams that contain polluted waters or steep drop-offs or other unusual bottom conditions or currents.4. Fire Safety in Residential Camps Documentation of an annual FIRE SAFETY SURVEY FOR YOUTH CAMPS must be conducted before a license can be issued. (These forms are be available from the Mississippi State Department of Health.) a. Building Standards The procurement, construction, and maintenance of resources, equipment, and buildings shall be in conformance with existing and applicable State and local laws, ordinances and regulations dealing with fire safety.b. Means of Egress i. The means of egress from all structures shall be maintained in an unobstructed, easily traveled condition at all times. Exposure to inherent hazards of the building such as heating plant, kitchen, flammable storage or other similar conditions is not permitted. Furniture, equipment, and utility materials shall not be stored or maintained in a location or position which may cause them to fall into, be pushed into or be obstructive in any way to the means of egress.ii. A building with an occupancy of more than 12 persons, including staff, shall be provided with at least two separate and independent means of egress located as far apart as practical and, in no case, less than 50 percent of the longest dimension of the building. Each door shall be hung in the direction of egress. Where a sliding door is the only means of egress, such door shall be kept open a minimum of three feet while the building is occupied.iii. An occupancy above the first floor shall be provided with two separate and independent means of egress and located so that all persons are situated between approved exit facilities. Said exits shall lead to an approved outside fire escape or to an interior stairway enclosed with an assembly of materials affording substantial protection from fire and leading directly to the outdoor at grade.iv. A required exit from a facility for an occupancy of more than 25 persons, or where an exit is not readily visible to the occupants, shall be designated by a luminescent exit sign. Directional exit signs shall be installed where needed.v. Emergency lighting shall be provided for any stairway, corridor and fire escape that constitutes a means of egress. In new construction or remodeling of existing structures, where electric power is provided, the lighting required by this rule shall be installed on separate circuits from and fused ahead of the main switch or disconnected. In the event electricity is not available, a battery system shall be provided.vi. In an assemblage area such as a recreation room, dining hall or chapel, each door from a room occupied by campers shall enter a corridor between exits or there shall be direct egress to the outside from each room.vii. In newly constructed buildings, an exit door shall not be less than 36 inches wide.viii. A door forming part of a means of egress where door hardware is used shall be of a type that is non-locking against egress and operable with a single motion not to exceed 35 pounds of pressure. The use of bolts, bars and similar devices is prohibited on any door provided for exit purposes or designed as an exit.c. Fire Warning Equipment i. All multi-story buildings and all areas of occupancy which are deemed to have high-risk fire hazards shall be protected throughout with a battery operated automatic fire detection system.ii. Fire extinguishers of an approved type with a current inspection date so tagged shall be properly located and easily visible in buildings having fire hazards.d. Heating Heating devices, their installation, operation, and maintenance shall be in compliance with existing and applicable State and local laws, ordinances and regulations.e. Tents i. All tents shall be of the fiber impregnated flame retardant variety.ii. All tents shall be posted with permanent warning "No open flame in or near this tent." This warning may be on a sign or stenciled directly on the tent.iii. Campfires and open flames of any type shall be prohibited within 10 feet of any tent.iv. Plastic tents of any type shall not be allowed.15 Miss. Code. R. 11-55-4.4.2
Miss. Code Ann. § 75-74-9.