New York Codes, Rules and Regulations › Title 10 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH › Chapter I - State Sanitary Code › Part 7 - TEMPORARY RESIDENCES, MASS GATHERINGS AND CHILDREN'S CAMPS › Subpart 7-2 - CHILDREN'S CAMPS › Section 7-2.11 - Recreational safety

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 28, July 10, 2024
(a)
Swimming.
(1) Only locations
				  approved by the permit-issuing official as part of the camp's safety plan can
				  be used for swimming.
(2) Adequate
				  light must be present to effectively supervise swimming activities. Swimming
				  shall be prohibited between sunset and sunrise at wilderness swimming sites.
				  Lighting for indoor and nighttime swimming pool use must comply with Subpart
				  6-1 of this Title.
(3) Swimming
				  pools and bathing beaches operated as part of a children's camp shall comply
				  with Part 6 of this Title, and the following:
(i) The swimming pool or bathing beach shall
				  be directly supervised by a camp aquatics director.
(ii) Float lines shall be provided in
				  accordance with Subpart 6-1 or Subpart 6-2 of this Title and the swimming area
				  shall have at least non-swimmer and swimmer areas designated. Non-swimmers
				  shall be confined to the area appropriate to their assessed swimming ability.
				  Non-swimmers shall be conspicuously identified to be readily distinguishable
				  from swimmers except where non-swimmers are restricted from entering the
				  swimmer area by a physical barrier such as a swim crib or dock, or are in a
				  separate pool only for non-swimmers. Non-swimmers shall be restricted to water
				  less than chest deep, except:
(a) during
				  learn-to-swim programs that use a supervision protocol determined by the State
				  Commissioner of Health to protect a camper from injury or drowning;
				  or
(b) when counselors are in the
				  water and directly supervise a maximum of three non-swimmers in shallow water
				  in the non-swimmer area.
(iii) Permanent swimming areas shall have
				  supervised entrances and exits, lifeguard station providing an unobstructed
				  view of the swimming area, and lifesaving equipment. Swimming pools shall be
				  protected by fences: entrance gates shall be locked except during periods when
				  a lifeguard is on duty.
(iv) A
				  buddy system and board system of supervising and checking bathers must be
				  described in the camp's approved safety plan and implemented. It must include,
				  as a minimum:
(a) an accounting system which
				  identifies each bather by name, the bather's swimming ability and the swim area
				  to which the bather is assigned;
(b) a method of recording the entry to and
				  exit from the swim area for each bather;
(c) the assignment of each bather to a buddy
				  who must have the same level of swimming ability. If a non-swimmer is paired
				  with a swimmer, both must remain in the non-swimmer area. One threesome is
				  allowed per swim area. Buddies shall be instructed to notify the lifeguard when
				  their partner is in distress or is missing; and
(d) that checks of the bathers are made at
				  least every 15 minutes. These checks are referenced against the accounting
				  system.
When children are unable to comprehend or implement the
					 buddy system, another method which the permit-issuing official has determined
					 provides an equivalent level of bather safety, supervision and accountability
					 for these children may be substituted for the buddy system and board system.
					 The method must be described in the camp's approved safety plan.
A "lost swimmer" plan, which details all procedures to be
					 followed, including clearing the water, searching and supervising campers
					 present, is required and must be included in the camp's approved safety plan.
					 The lost swimmer plan shall be implemented whenever a buddy check fails to
					 account for all bathers and anytime a bather is reported
					 missing.
(v) All
				  piers, floats, platforms, and decking shall be in good repair. Clearly visible
				  depth and other markings shall be provided in accordance with Subpart 6-1 or
				  Subpart 6-2 of this Title.
(vi) The
				  minimum water depth for diving boards shall be in accordance with section
				  6-1.10(l) 
				  or section
				  6-2.19,
				  item 4.8.2 of this Title. Swimming pool diving boards installed since July 15,
				  1988, shall be constructed in accordance with section
				  6-1.29 
				  item 5.6 of this Title. For outdoor diving areas, the bottom shall be cleared
				  of stumps, rocks and other obstacles. Diving boards shall be mounted on a firm
				  foundation and the top surface shall be slip resistant.
(vii) There shall be one qualified lifeguard
				  for every 25 bathers. Each lifeguard shall supervise no more than 3,400 square
				  feet of pool surface area or 50 yards of shoreline at a bathing beach. At a
				  beach where swimming or diving is permitted more than 150 feet from shore,
				  lifesaving patrol boats or offshore lifesaving stations shall be
				  provided.
(viii) The ratio of
				  counselors to campers participating in activities that occur in the water shall
				  be 1:10. For children younger than eight, the ratio shall be 1:8, except that
				  when children are less than six years of age, the ratio shall be 1:6.
				  Counselors shall be assigned to supervise campers and be located at the
				  poolside, beachfront or in the water providing direct visual surveillance for
				  such campers at all times.
(4) When swimming is conducted during camp
				  trips including aquatic amusement park activities at a facility not owned or
				  operated by the camp, each camper shall have a signed statement of permission
				  to participate from a parent/guardian and the following shall be met:
(i) Except for wilderness sites, only those
				  swimming pools and bathing beaches in New York State that have a valid permit
				  to operate issued from the local health department having jurisdiction for the
				  bathing facility, or those be operated by a New York State Agency may be
				  used.
(ii) Residential swimming
				  pool use is prohibited.
(iii) A
				  buddy system and board system of supervising bathers shall be implemented in
				  accordance with subparagraph (3)(iv) of this subdivision. All campers must have
				  their swimming ability assessed by a progressive swimming instructor and the
				  swimming area shall have at least non-swimmer and swimmer areas designated.
				  Non-swimmers shall be confined to the area appropriate to their swimming
				  ability. Non-swimmers shall be conspicuously identified to be readily
				  distinguishable from swimmers except where non-swimmers are restricted from
				  entering the swimmer area by a physical barrier such as a swim crib or dock or
				  are in a separate pool for only non-swimmers. Non-swimmers shall be restricted
				  to water less than chest deep, except:
(a)
				  during learn-to-swim programs that use a supervision protocol determined by the
				  State Commissioner of Health to protect a camper from injury or drowning;
				  or
(b) when counselors are in the
				  water and directly supervise a maximum of three non-swimmers in shallow water
				  in the non-swimmer area.
(iv) When a camp utilizes a pool, bathing
				  beach or an aquatic amusement park activity where the facility provides aquatic
				  supervisory staff level I, IIa or IIb in accordance with Part 6 of this Title,
				  the camp shall provide one qualified lifeguard, or camp staff who possesses
				  training in children's camp swimming program safety as specified in clause
				  (
a
) of this subparagraph, for each 75 campers to supervise
				  camper bathing activities and implement the camp safety plan. A camp supplied
				  lifeguard, or a staff possessing training in children's camp swimming program
				  safety, is not required for aquatic amusement park activities that allow only
				  one or two patrons in the water at a time and the activity water depth does not
				  exceed chest deep for non-swimmers.
(a) A
				  training course will be determined to be acceptable if, after a review by the
				  State Health Department, the materials and training program covering those
				  items set forth below are determined to provide camp staff with adequate
				  training to supervise a camp trip swimming activity.
(b) Training course certification shall be
				  valid for the time period specified by the certifying agency, but may not
				  exceed a consecutive three-year period from course completion.
(c) Training course materials shall be
				  submitted for review by the course sponsor and shall include minimum instructor
				  qualifications to demonstrate that instructors possess adequate experience and
				  knowledge in children's camp swimming program safety to effectively communicate
				  the subject matter of this section:
(1)
				  Injury Prevention including Communicating and Enforcing Rules.
(2) Bather Surveillance Systems for
				  Children's Camps:
(i) Classifying and
				  Identifying Bather Swimming Abilities.
(ii) Swimming Area Selection.
(iii) Buddy System.
(iv) Buddy Board/Accountability
				  Systems.
(3) Types of
				  Emergencies and Emergency Action Plans (EAP).
(v) Pre-arrangement must be made with an
				  off-site facility to ensure that the facility is capable of accommodating the
				  additional bather load associated with the camp, to identify duties of the camp
				  aquatic staff, and to determine whether or not the facility's lifeguards will
				  be present.
(vi) Minimum counselor
				  to camper ratio shall be 1:8 for campers six years of age and older and 1:6 for
				  campers younger than six years of age. Counselors shall be assigned to
				  supervise campers and be located at the poolside, beachfront or in the water
				  providing direct visual surveillance for such campers at all times.
(vii) When the camp utilizes a facility that
				  does not provide aquatic supervisory staff level I, IIa or IIb in accordance
				  with Part 6 of this Title, the camp must provide one qualified lifeguard for
				  every 25 bathers to directly supervise campers participating in bathing
				  activities and to implement the camp safety plan. Each camp supplied lifeguard
				  shall supervise no more than 3,400 square feet of area at swimming pools or no
				  more than 50 yards of shoreline at bathing beaches. Camper swimming is
				  prohibited at a distance of more than 75 feet from shore at bathing beaches
				  when the water depth exceeds chest deep of the shortest camper. When the water
				  depth is less than chest deep of the shortest camper, swimming shall be
				  restricted to no more than 150 feet from shore.
(5) When wilderness swimming is conducted,
				  each participating camper shall have a signed statement of permission to
				  participate from a parent/guardian, and subparagraph (3)(iv) of this
				  subdivision shall be complied with. In addition:
(i) The camp shall provide at lease one
				  qualified lifeguard per 25 bathers. A minimum of two staff members which
				  includes the lifeguard who shall possess a current certificate in an acceptable
				  cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training program as defined in section
				  7-2.2(n) 
				  of this Supbart.
(ii) Minimum staff
				  to camper ratio shall be 1:8 for campers six years of age and older and 1:6 for
				  campers younger than six years of age. Counselors shall be assigned to
				  supervise campers and be located at the waterfront providing direct visual
				  surveillance for such campers at all times.
(iii) The swimming area shall be adequately
				  marked to identify the perimeter. Water within the swimming area shall not
				  exceed five feet in depth and swimming shall be restricted to an area which is
				  no more than 50 yards of shoreline and 75 feet from shore. Water clarity shall
				  be sufficient to see the bottom or to a minimum of four feet below the surface
				  throughout the swimming area. The bottom slope of the swimming area shall not
				  be steeper than 1:8 and the bottom shall contain no sharp drop-offs. jagged
				  rocks or under water obstructions. Water currents shall not exceed three feet
				  per second in the swimming area.
(iv) All campers must have their swimming
				  ability assessed by a progressive swimming instructor and the swimming area
				  shall have at least non-swimmer and swimmer areas designated. Non-swimmers
				  shall be confined to the area appropriate to their assessed swimming ability.
				  Non-swimmers shall be conspicuously identified to be readily distinguishable
				  from swimmers and be restricted to water less than chest deep.
(v) Safety equipment. One rescue tube. rescue
				  buoy or United States Coast Guard approved life jacket and a pocket face mask
				  to assist with CPR shall be provided for each required lifeguard.
(vi) Safety rules. Head first diving shall be
				  prohibited as shall jumping into the water from cliffs, trees, water flumes or
				  rope swings.