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by Ed Schirick
I have a friend who maintains his own vehicles as much as he can, although
he's had to use the car dealership's service department more and more
in recent years. Automobile engines have become more complicated, and
they now require expensive electronic equipment to maintain and service
them. As a result, it is no longer practical for him to perform certain
service tasks.
In spite of this, he still maintains his philosophy of preventive maintenance
and applies it whenever he can. This means monitoring mileage and dates
when brakes, belts, hoses, fuel filters, ignition switches, batteries,
and other components are put into service. He replaces these items after
a certain number of months, or miles, as a means of reducing the risk
of mechanical breakdown. He has a knack for doing this, plus he enjoys
working with his hands. The result, as you might guess, is his automobiles
run better and last longer than most, and he has never been stranded because
of a mechanical problem. I admire him for his discipline and foresight.
Managing your camp property takes similar discipline and foresight, not
to mention money. Here are some thoughts about risk reduction and preventive
maintenance in the camp environment.
Electrical Hazards
American Camping Association (ACA) Standard SF-7, Electrical Evaluation,
requires an annual review of the camp electrical system conducted by "qualified
personnel." The standards offer the following rationale:
"The evaluation should include at least a visual observation of areas
and facilities to check for damaged or loose wires or fixtures, electrical
equipment needing repair or replacement, face plates and panel fronts
in place, correctly sized fuses and circuit breakers, and appropriately
grounded receptacles. Particular attention should be paid to facilities
that have little or no use during some seasons or where damage from rodents
or weather may occur or have occurred."
How important is this? Very! Most fires at camp are electrical in origin!
This annual review presents a great opportunity to do preventive maintenance
and reduce risk. In my opinion, the qualified person who does the annual
review should be a licensed electrician. The expert's knowledge and experience
are critical to identifying items in need of attention that an untrained
eye might miss. This electrical review represents risk identification
- the first step in risk management. Don't cut corners here. You want
the very best resource available to do this evaluation.
Consider upgrades
Consider the age of the electrical system. If you are still using fuses,
investigate upgrading the electrical service to circuit breakers. Why
is this important? Electrical systems still using fuses may work just
fine. Unfortunately, there is risk that the wrong size fuse may be used
unintentionally. This increases the risk of fire. Circuit breakers eliminate
the risk of fire caused by using the wrong fuse.
If you haven't installed ground fault interruption electrical outlets
in your kitchens, by your pools, waterfronts, or other areas near water,
put this upgrade on your list for next spring. These new outlets may protect
you or one of your staff from serious injury, or death by electrocution!
Evaluate wiring
Be sure to use the proper gauge wiring in extension cords. Keep extension
cords out of high traffic areas. Run them along walls whenever possible.
This practice will help avoid liability from trip and fall injuries and
reduce the possibility that extension cords will be damaged by people
stepping on them. Never use damaged or frayed extension cords. Ditto for
cords on personal appliances, power tools, or cooking appliances. Sometimes
wires just wear out and electrical arcing becomes a concern. Wiring may
look okay to the untrained eye, but electrical wiring that is arcing is
dangerous and can start fires. Train counselors to identify faulty electrical
cords on the personal appliances used by campers in cabins.
Electrical service can be taken for granted. We expect the lights to
come on each time we flip the switch. This may be changing, especially
in states that have deregulated their electrical utilities. In early 2001,
some states experienced brownouts and blackouts. Each time the electricity
goes off, turn off and unplug electrical equipment to avoid damage and
reduce the risk of fire when the electricity is restored. Install surge
protection on computers and sensitive electronic and communication equipment.
Fire Hazards
Besides electrical hazards at camp, insurance underwriters and risk managers
are concerned about fire in sleeping areas and kitchens. ACA Standard
SF-4 addresses a Fire Equipment Examination that requires "qualified personnel
to annually conduct a safety examination of fire equipment and applicable
areas." This examination includes evaluating smoke detectors, fire extinguishers,
fireplaces, chimneys, storage of flammables, and cooking areas.
Some states now require "hard-wired" smoke detectors in all sleeping
areas. These systems replace battery-operated detectors. Hard-wired smoke
detectors run off regular electric service. As long as there is electrical
service to the building, the smoke detector will operate. These units
also have a battery back up system in case electrical service is interrupted
for any reason. These hard-wired smoke detectors reduce the risk that
a fire in a sleeping area will go undetected.
Protecting cooking areas
Some camps have taken the necessary steps to control cooking hazards and
the risk of fire. These steps include the installation of stainless steel
hoods over all cooking surfaces and stainless steel ducts to vent and
remove the heat and vapors from the kitchen.
Filters are also installed in the hood to catch grease and prevent accumulations
in the ductwork. Without these filters, accumulated grease could ignite
from cooking activities and cause a fire. The National Fire Protection
Association produces the standards applicable to the installation of these
hood and duct systems. These standards are revised periodically. Your
preventive maintenance program should include a review of the latest National
Fire Protection Association standards in pamphlet NFPA 96 to insure that
your system is still in compliance. If your system needs improvement,
make plans to upgrade your cooking protection systems to the new code
as soon as you can. A specialist in the field should perform any new installations
or upgrades to hood and duct systems over cooking surfaces.
Hood and duct systems typically include a Dry Chemical Extinguishing
System over all cooking surfaces. This is the first line of protection
if a cooking fire should occur. If you don't have a hood and duct system
over all cooking surfaces with grease filters and a dry chemical extinguishing
system, consider installing one before next summer. While some underwriters
may write property insurance without these protective devices, you'll
get a better rate if you have them. Keeping them clean is also a critical
part of preventive maintenance. Check with the contractor who installs
your system for instructions on periodic cleaning.
Using fire extinguishers
Other risk reduction and prevention steps include having portable fire
extinguishers in the dining hall/kitchen. Portable fire extinguishers
are often considered "first aid" fire equipment. They are designed to
be used by trained staff in an attempt to put out a fire while waiting
for the fire department to arrive.
Extinguishers should be suitable in type, size, and number for the type
of materials and the degree of hazard. ABC type fire extinguishers are
the most versatile and can be used on all fires except those involving
combustible metals. Extinguishers should be periodically inspected, tested,
and certified (tagged). Knowledgeable fire-service-equipment contractors
should maintain them on a regular basis. Having the right size, number,
and type of extinguisher is not enough. The extinguishers must be readily
accessible and properly distributed. Consult your local fire equipment
service company for your camp's specific requirements.
Make plans to replace, repair, and rejuvenate your camp property in the
spring of 2002. Take the time to reduce risk. Take advantage of newer,
better technology by upgrading electrical systems. Anticipate problems
and incorporate the philosophy and discipline of risk reduction and preventive
maintenance into your risk management plan.
Originally published in the 2001 November/December
issue of Camping Magazine.
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