Get your camp summer ready

It's time to open and survey your camp if it had been closed or unoccupied during the winter season.

The first thing to look for is structural damage that could lead to accidents and injuries among your campers, visitors and staff members.   

Walls might have shifted and separated. Steps and handrails could have deteriorated. And snow, ice and wind might have taken their toll on windows and roofs. Don't forget that animals and insects also can damage a building's structural integrity and electrical systems.

If a building has a heating and ventilation system, that should be inspected, too. Proper clearances, per the manufacturer’s recommendations, need to be maintained between heating equipment and combustible materials. Also, it is important to have a qualified HVAC technician check all gas-operated appliances, furnaces and heaters to determine if exhaust gases are correctly vented to the outside to reduce exposure to carbon monoxide poisoning.   

In addition to reducing property, liability and workers' compensation-related loss exposures, inspections help you act on problems before they become significant and costly to repair.

Keep in mind that after the initial inspection, regular visual inspections also should be conducted on each building at your camp to monitor plumbing systems, heating and ventilation systems, windows and doors, exterior wall materials, porches and stairs, and roofs. These inspections should be conducted by staff members who have been trained on what to look for and how to arrange for repairs.    

Consult Church Mutual’s Self-Inspection Safety Checklist for Camps and Conference Centers to help your camp staff members conduct building surveys. You also can contact Church Mutual’s Risk Control Department at (800) 554-2642, ext. 5213, or riskconsulting@churchmutual.com  to request a copy.

To review more safety resources, visit https://www.churchmutual.com/campsafety.

 
 
 
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Church Mutual Insurance Company, S.I. (a stock insurer)
P.O. Box 357 | 3000 Schuster Lane | Merrill, WI 54452-0357
Telephone (800) 554-2642 or (715) 536-5577

© 2024 Church Mutual Insurance Company, S.I. All rights reserved. Protecting the Greater Good is a registered trademark of Church Mutual Insurance Company, S.I.

Church Mutual is a stock insurer whose policyholders are members of the parent mutual holding company formed on 1/1/20. S.I. = a stock insurer.