SECTION .3600 – rules governing the SANITATION OF resident CAMPS

15A NCAC 18A .3601      DEFINITIONS

The following definitions shall apply throughout this Section:

(1)           "Approved" means food that complies with requirements of the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services or the U.S. Department of Agriculture or 15A NCAC 18A .2600 Rules Governing The Sanitation of Food Service Establishment, and the requirements of the Rules of this Section. "Approved" also means equipment and procedures determined by the Department to be in compliance with the rules of this Section.

(2)           "Children's Foster Care Camp" means a residential child care facility which provides foster care at either a permanent camp site or in a wilderness setting as defined in G.S. 131D and 10A NCAC 70J .0100. Children's Foster Care Camps are licensed by the NC Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Health Service Regulation in accordance with G.S. 131D and 10A NCAC 70J .0100.

(3)           "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.

(4)           "Employee" means any camp personnel paid or volunteer who handle food or drink during preparation or serving, or who come in contact with any eating or cooking utensils, or who work at any time in a room in which food or drink is prepared.

(5)           "Environmental health specialist" means a person authorized to represent the Department on the local or state level in making inspections pursuant to state laws and rules.

(6)           "Equipment" means refrigeration, including racks and shelving used in refrigeration, utensil cleaning and culinary sinks and drain boards, warewashing and dishwashing machines, food preparation tables, counters, stoves, ovens and other food preparation and holding appliances.

(7)           "Food" means any raw, cooked or processed edible substance including meat, meat food products, poultry, poultry products, ice, beverage or ingredient used or intended for use or for sale in whole or in part for human consumption.

(8)           "Good repair" means capable of being cleaned and used for the intended purpose.

(9)           "Hermetically sealed container" means a container designed and intended to be secure against the entry of micro-organisms and to maintain the commercial sterility of its contents after processing.

(10)         "Limited resident camp" means a resident camp that is limited to a total of 90 campers and staff per session. A limited resident camp shall comply with the rules of this Section with the exception of Rule .3628(d) for all equipment excluding required dishwashing facilities.

(11)         "Local health director" means a local health director as defined in G.S. 301A-2(6).

(12)         "Meat" or "meat food products" means meat and meat food products as defined in G.S. 106-549.15(14).

(13)         "Off-site" means packouts, cookouts or any activity where food is prepared outside the approved kitchen facility.

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

(15)         "Permit to operate" means a permit issued by the Department upon evaluation and approval of the Resident Camp facility.

(16)         "Person" means a person as defined in G.S. 130A-2(7).

(17)         "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 that have a pH level of 4.6 or below or a water activity (Aw) value of 0.85 or less.

(18)         "Poultry" or "poultry products" means poultry and poultry products as defined in G.S. 106-549.51(25) and (26).

(19)         "Resident camp" includes camp establishments which provide food and overnight lodging accommodations for 72 consecutive hours or more per week at a permanent base of operations for groups of children or adults engaged in organized recreational or educational programs and has a permanent connection to a public electrical service provider. 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 campsites for camping. This definition does not include Primitive Experience Camp as defined in 15A NCAC 18A .3500. This definition does include Children's Foster Care Camps and Residential Therapeutic (Habilitative) Camps.

(20)         "Residential Therapeutic (Habilitative) Camp" is a residential treatment facility provided in a camping environment which is designed to help individuals develop behavior control, coping skills, self-esteem and interpersonal skills as defined in G.S. 122C and 10A NCAC 27G .5200. Therapeutic camps are licensed by the NC Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Health Service Regulation in accordance with G.S. 122C and 10A NCAC 27G .5200.

(21)         "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 staff member is the responsible person.

(22)         "Sanitize" means the approved bactericidal treatment by a process which meets the temperature and chemical concentration levels in Rule .3629 of this Section.

(23)         "Sewage" means sewage as defined in 15A NCAC 18A .1900. Sewage is the liquid and solid human body waste and liquid waste generated by water-using fixtures and appliances, including those associated with food handling. The term does not include industrial process wastewater or sewage that is combined with industrial process wastewater.

(24)         "Shellstock" means any shellfish which remains in their shells. Shellfish which are shucked or on the half-shell shall not be considered shellstock.

(25)         "Single service items" means cups, containers, lids, closures, plates, knives, forks, spoons, stirrers, paddles, straws, napkins, wrapping materials, toothpicks and similar articles intended for one-time, one-person use and then discarded.

(26)         "Utensils" means any kitchenware, tableware, glassware, cutlery, containers and similar items with which food or drink comes in contact during storage, preparation or serving.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 130A-235; 130A-248;

Eff. October 1, 2007;

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