SECTION .3500 – rules governing the sanitation of primitive camps

15A NCAC 18a .3501      DEFINITIONS

The following definitions shall apply throughout this Section:

(1)           "Approved" means food which complies with requirements of the NC Department of Agriculture or the US Department of Agriculture and the requirements of the Rules of this Section. "Approved" also means equipment determined by the Department to be in compliance with the Rules of this Section. Food service equipment which meets and is installed in accordance with National Sanitation Foundation Standards or equal shall be approved. These standards may be obtained from the National Sanitation Foundation, P.O. Box 130140, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48113— 140 and are also available for inspection at the Division of Environmental Health, 1632 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1632.

(2)           "Department of Environment and Natural Resources" or "Department" means the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources or its authorized representative. For purposes of any notices required pursuant to the Rules of this Section, notice shall be mailed to "Division of Environmental Health, Environmental Health Services Section, North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources," 1632 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1632.

(3)           "Employee" means any camp personnel who handles food or drink during preparation or serving, or comes in contact with any eating or cooking utensils, or is employed by the camp at any time in which food or drink is prepared or served.

(4)           "Environmental Health Specialist" shall mean a person authorized to represent the Department on the local or state level in making inspections pursuant to state laws and rules.

(5)           "Equipment" shall mean refrigerators, insulated coolers, buckets, cooking appliances, serving utensils, or any other devices used to serve, hold or prepare food or drink.

(6)           "Food" means any raw, cooked, or processed edible substance, ice, beverage, or ingredient used or intended for use or for sale in whole or in part for human consumption.

(7)           "Good Repair" means capable of being cleaned, sanitized, and used for the intended purpose.

(8)           "Local Health Director" means the administrative head of a local health department or his authorized representative.

(9)           "Off-site" includes packouts, cookouts, or any activity where food is prepared outside the base camp.

(10)         "Permanent sleeping quarters" includes those buildings, cabins, platform tents, covered wagons and teepees that remain in a fixed location during the operating season and are used as primary residences for campers, staff, or user groups.

(11)         "Permit to Operate" means a permit issued by the Department upon review and approval of the operating primitive experience camp plan of operation.

(12)         "Person" means an individual, firm, association, organization, partnership, business trust, corporation, or company.

(13)         "Plan of Operation" means the procedures, methodologies and measures specifically related to food preparation and protection, drinking water, waste disposal and other general sanitation issues the primitive experience camp will employ to protect the health of campers.

(14)         "Potentially hazardous food" means any food or ingredient, natural or synthetic, in a form capable of supporting the growth of infectious or toxigenic microorganisms, including Clostridium botulinum. This term includes raw or heat treated foods of animal origin, raw seed sprouts, and treated foods of plant origin. The term does not include foods which have a pH level of 4.6 or below or a water activity (Aw) value of 0.85 or less.

(15)         "Primitive Experience Base Camp" means that portion of the primitive experience camp at a fixed location which contains structures, water supplies, toilets and other facilities necessary for the operation of the camp under the control or ownership of the primitive experience camp permittee.

(16)         "Primitive Base Experience Camp Permit" means the permit is issued for the base camp facilities and appurtenances upon determination that the base camp is in compliance with the Rules of this Section.

(17)         "Primitive Experience Camp" means a camp not served by any public electrical service providers and provides overnight outdoor primitive camping. Primitive Experience Camps include those camp establishments that provide food and overnight lodging accommodations for 72 consecutive hours or more per week at or from a permanent base camp for groups of children or adults engaged in overnight organized recreational or educational programs. Programs are operated and staffed by the camp and supervision of individual campers is a camp responsibility. This definition does not include campgrounds or other facilities that only rent property or camp sites for camping.

(18)         "Responsible person" means the administrator, operator, owner, or other person in charge of the operation at the time of the inspection. If no individual is the apparent supervisor, then any employee may be the responsible person

(19)         Sanitize means the approved bactericidal treatment by a process which meets the temperature and chemical concentration levels in accordance with Rule .3507 of this Section.

(20)         "Sewage" means the liquid and solid human body waste and liquid waste generated by water-using fixtures and appliances, including those associated with foodhandling. The term does not include industrial process wastewater or sewage that is combined with industrial process wastewater.

(21)         "Threat to the Public Health" means circumstances which create a significant risk of serious physical injury or serious adverse health effect.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 130A-248;

Eff. May 1, 2004;

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. July 20, 2019.