Occupational injuries associated with camping include all those associated with cooking in domestic dwellings, such as burns and knife cuts, and those caused by slipping/tripping. Some camp-specific injuries could be caused by flood or bush fires. Other common causes of injury arise from lifting heavy weights, poor lighting conditions, horseplay, etc. A poorly chosen site or lack of attention to hygiene can lead to illness or disease.
A camp manager should be appointed, even for a small temporary camp, to exercise control over establishment and operation of the camp. The camp manager should have the authority to exercise disciplinary action in the event of misbehaviour by anyone in the camp. In the case of permanent or larger camps, it is advisable to make early contact with local emergency services, rural fire brigades, doctors, Royal Flying Doctor Service, etc. so that they can provide rapid response, if needed.
Safety guides
Recommended practices for a safe camp include the following:
• The camp site and layout chosen should provide acceptable standards of safety and hygiene, and minimise risks from fire or flood.
• Sites should be reasonably level, with a few shade trees but a minimum of tree stumps and fallen timber. In the best sites, you should be able to walk about the camp without watching where you put your feet.
• Camps should not be placed among trees which might shed branches. In forests the site should be in as open an area as possible, so that it will be cooled by the prevailing winds.
• Sandy to gravelly ground is preferable to clay soils, which will break up with traffic and become dusty in dry weather and muddy in rain.
• Vehicle access tracks should be downwind of the camp, to avoid dust from vehicles. It may be necessary to rope off a large camp to keep vehicles and their dust away from the camp.
• Larger camps should have a separate vehicle and fuel storage park, safe from bush fires, with at least two access roads, and downwind from the living areas.
• The site should be an easy walking distance from a water supply, and upstream from any pollutants.
• Walkways should be adequately lit.
• Camps should be sited on high ground, above flood level.
• Good hygiene is essential to good health of any field party. Consideration must be given to
– provision of adequate water supplies. For a long-term camp have the drinking water analysed.
– correct disposal of food scraps, cooking and showering water, and human waste.
For short-term camps and only a few people, food scraps can be buried or burned, and water allowed to drain away naturally. Empty cans and bottles should be placed in a garbage bag for disposal at the nearest rubbish dump.
– provision at large and more permanent camps of a substantial first aid kit, adequate refrigerator and freezer capacity, and a fly-screened food preparation area. Waste water should be directed by drains to a covered sullage pit. Enclosed showers with a concrete floor and hot water should be provided. The common ‘donkey’ water heater should have a pressure relief pipe or valve, or the drum may burst. Local council approval may be required for a permanent camp.
– disposal of all rubbish in a deep pit and covering it with dirt, or tying-off in heavy-duty garbage bags. Bags should be taken to a rubbish dump every few days, or daily in summer. Human waste will require a permanent latrine or chemical toilets.
– personal cleanliness (necessary to avoid illness). In addition to hot showers, there should also be handwashing facilities in cooking and latrine areas, and some facilities exclusively for washing clothing.
Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)
Bottled gas is heavier than air, and accumulates in confined areas where it can explode if it is sparked or lighted. It is a common cause of fires, explosions and injuries at camp sites. Precautions include:
• making sure all connections are tight, and checking for gas leaks with a detergent and water solution which will bubble at a leaking connection
• storing gas bottles away from naked flames and open fires
• not keeping gas bottles for stoves or refrigerators in confined places where gas can accumulate
• making sure that gas systems in larger or permanent camp sites are installed by a licensed gas fitter
• returning or safely disposing of any damaged bottles.
Flood and bushfire hazards
Precautions against flood and bushfire hazards which should be considered when selecting a camp site include:
• building on a site that is higher than the maximum flood level, as shown by the flood debris in trees
• avoiding fire damage by making a firebreak around the camp site, fuel stores and parking areas
• placing appropriate fire extinguishers at the vehicle park, helicopter base, fuel storage depot, generator, kitchen or any area of potential fire risk.
Generators
A reliable generator and a regulated pattern of use can make for comfortable and safe camping. The ability to obtain instant electric light in an emergency may make the difference between a tragedy and a sensibly managed safety incident. Safe
practice includes:
• choosing generators for bush camps carefully, and then servicing them regularly to obtain a long working life
• having 30 milliamps earth leakage protection fitted to generator power outlets, where possible
• appointing particular people in each camp to be responsible for the generator and associated electrical wiring and equipment. These people should manage the installation of all electrical equipment and keep a record of all servicing and repairs
• maintaining all wiring and equipment in good working order and having it checked by a qualified electrician at least every six months. Wiring, appliances and fuses should be chosen to suit the output of the generator
• laying out cables so that they do not pose a tripping hazard or get wet
• refuelling, inspecting and servicing the generator at least daily. The amount of fuel in the tank at sunset should be sufficient to run the generator all night
• starting the generator each morning and switching off each night at an agreed time. Under no circumstances should a generator be allowed to run dry of fuel so that it cannot be instantly restarted. If a generator is used every day, it should be
completely serviced (including an oil change) once a week, preferably on the same day every week
• storing fuel in the correct manner and at a safe distance from the generator
• locating the generator so that noise levels and exhaust nuisance are as low as possible.
First aid and emergency facilities
First aid and emergency facilities required at a camp site will vary according to the hazards and risks employees may be exposed to, location of the camp relative to other facilities, and the number of people living in the camp. Large camps in remote areas, where several drill rigs are operating, may require a well-equipped first aid room with a highly qualified first aid officer on permanent call. They may also require a permanent radio room. A working relationship should also be established with the Royal Flying Doctor Service and other emergency services.
At a small, tented camp, normal first aid kits and two-way radios carried in the vehicles may be satisfactory for emergencies. A medium-sized camp may require a first aid kit permanently in the camp. All field employees should have at least basic first aid qualifications.