Camps - Housing - CA Health And Safety

Section § 18897

An "organized camp" is a place designed for outdoor group activities with goals like social, educational, or recreational experiences, operating for at least five days each year. It doesn’t include motels, trailer parks, hunting camps, or similar facilities and doesn’t apply to child care institutions. Additionally, charitable or recreational organizations that follow trailer park regulations are not considered organized camps.

(a) “Organized camp” means a site with program and facilities established for the primary purposes of providing an outdoor group living experience with social, spiritual, educational, or recreational objectives, for five days or more during one or more seasons of the year.

(b) The term “organized camp” does not include a motel, tourist camp, trailer park, resort, hunting camp, auto court, labor camp, penal or correctional camp and does not include a child care institution or home-finding agency.

(c) The term “organized camp” also does not include any charitable or recreational organization that complies with the rules and regulations for recreational trailer parks.

organized camp outdoor group living social objectives educational objectives recreational objectives five days motel exclusion trailer park exclusion hunting camp exclusion child care institution exclusion charitable organization exemption recreational trailer park compliance

(Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 664, Sec. 18. Effective January 1, 2009.)

Section § 18897.1

The law defines a 'Camper' as someone who is actively involved in the activities and training offered by an organized camp. This person could either pay a fee or participate for free and might also have responsibilities connected to these programs.

“Camper” means any person in an organized camp on a fee or nonfee basis who is a participant in the regular program and training of an organized camp, and who may take on duties relating to such program and training.

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(Added by Stats. 1961, Ch. 1929.)

Section § 18897.2

This law requires the Director of Public Health in California to set up rules and standards for organized camps to ensure camper health and safety. These camps must also meet local building standards unless those conflict with state-adopted standards. The Director is responsible for enforcing these standards, which are based on the American Camping Association's guidelines. Additionally, the Director must create specific rules for short-term camps, meaning those that operate for no more than 72 hours, run by cities or counties.

(a) Except as provided in Section 18930, the Director of Public Health shall adopt, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, rules and regulations establishing minimum standards for organized camps and regulating the operation of organized camps that the director determines are necessary to protect the health and safety of the campers. Organized camps also shall comply with the building standards of the jurisdiction in which the camp is located, to the extent that those standards are not contrary to, or inconsistent with, the building standards adopted by the Director of Public Health. The Director of Public Health shall adopt and submit building standards for approval pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 18935) of Part 2.5 for the purposes described in this section. The State Department of Public Health shall enforce building standards published in the State Building Standards Code relating to organized camps and such other rules and regulations adopted by such director pursuant to the provisions of this section as the director determines are necessary to protect the health and safety of campers. In adopting building standards for approval pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 18935) of Part 2.5 and in adopting such other rules and regulations pursuant to the provisions of this section, the Director of Public Health shall consider the Camp Standards of the American Camping Association.

(b) The Director of Public Health shall adopt and submit building standards for approval pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 18935) of Part 2.5 and shall adopt such other rules and regulations pursuant to the provisions of this section establishing minimum standards for intermittent short-term organized camps operated by a city or a county as the director deems necessary to protect the health and safety of campers. For purposes of this subdivision, “intermittent short-term organized camps” means a site for camping by any group of people for a period of not more than 72 consecutive hours for that group.

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(Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 664, Sec. 19. Effective January 1, 2009.)

Section § 18897.3

The State Fire Marshal is responsible for creating basic fire safety rules for organized camps. These rules have to follow specific government procedures. Additionally, the Fire Marshal must propose building standards for approval to ensure safety in these camps.

Except as provided in Section 18930, the State Fire Marshal shall adopt minimum fire safety regulations for organized camps in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. The State Fire Marshal shall adopt and submit building standards for approval pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 18935) of Part 2.5 of this division for the purposes described in this section.

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(Amended by Stats. 1980, Ch. 676.)

Section § 18897.4

This law requires local health officers to ensure that their area's organized camps follow the building standards set by the State Building Standards Code. They must also enforce any additional rules and regulations created by the Director of Public Health.

Every local health officer shall enforce within his or her jurisdiction the building standards published in the State Building Standards Code relating to organized camps and the other rules and regulations adopted by the Director of Public Health pursuant to Section 18897.2.

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(Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 664, Sec. 20. Effective January 1, 2009.)

Section § 18897.5

This law states that building standards related to fire and panic safety must be enforced according to certain guidelines. Specifically, it refers to enforcing these standards like those made for preventing fires and protecting people and property from fire-related dangers. The standards and regulations mentioned were set by the State Fire Marshal.

The building standards published in the State Building Standards Code relating to fire and panic safety and the other regulations adopted by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Section 18897.3 shall be enforced in the same manner as is prescribed by Sections 13145, 13146, and 13146.5 of this code for the enforcement of building standards published in the State Building Standards Code relating to fire and panic safety and the other regulations that have been formally adopted by the State Fire Marshal for the prevention of fire or for the protection of life and property against fire or panic.

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(Amended by Stats. 1979, Ch. 1152.)

Section § 18897.6

This law specifies that organized camps in California are primarily regulated by the State Department of Public Health, regional water quality boards, the State Water Resources Control Board, and the State Fire Marshal. Other state agencies, except for those mentioned, don't regulate these camps.

However, the Department of Industrial Relations still has the power to regulate wages and working hours for camp employees. Also, the law does not stop the application of state building standards to camp structures.

Organized camps shall not be subject to regulation by any state agency other than the State Department of Public Health, California regional water quality control boards, the State Water Resources Control Board, and the State Fire Marshal; provided, that this section shall not affect the authority of the Department of Industrial Relations to regulate the wages or hours of employees of organized camps and this section shall not be construed to limit the application of building standards published in the State Building Standards Code to structures in organized camps.

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(Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 664, Sec. 21. Effective January 1, 2009.)

Section § 18897.7

This law mandates that any organized camp in California must meet specific safety and building standards. These standards are set out in the State Building Standards Code and enforced by the Director of Public Health and the State Fire Marshal. If a camp fails to comply with these rules, the violation is considered a misdemeanor.

No organized camp shall be operated in this state unless each site or location in which the camp operates satisfies the minimum standards for organized camps prescribed in building standards published in the State Building Standards Code relating to organized camps, and in other rules and regulations adopted by the Director of Public Health and the State Fire Marshal. Any violation of this section or of any building standard published in the State Building Standards Code relating to organized camps or any other rule or regulation adopted pursuant to Section 18897.2 or 18897.3 in the operation of organized camps is a misdemeanor.

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(Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 664, Sec. 22. Effective January 1, 2009.)