Camp Documentation:
Is Writer's Cramp and Health Risk?!!
The more you document important aspects of your camp operation, the better off you will be, even if it seems like the writing never ends. While all of that documentation may seem like overkill and just busy work, the opposite is true.
Use standardized forms
Proper documentation is much easier when you use standardized forms. For example, create one accident and incident form that asks specific questions related to the occurrence. It should allow the reporter to note who, what, when, where, how and make any other notes that are relevant.
Paper forms are common because they are easy to deal with in an environment that is often outdoors or otherwise not climate controlled. Some camps, though, use an electronic documentation system where information is entered directly into handheld, laptop or desktop computers. This speeds up documentation tremendously, and makes it easier to compile and analyze information later.
Share the responsibility
Since documentation can easily become a tedious task that many people find irritating or boring, try to avoid making the same people responsible for doing it all the time. Share the responsibility among a larger group of people, ensuring that each person knows proper inspection procedures.
For example, the daily inspection of the dining facility can be performed on a rotating basis. You can even get campers involved by having cabin groups take turns doing the inspection. This is a great way to keep documentation from becoming too tiresome, and serves to get campers involved in an active health and safety culture.
Maintain an excellent filing system
A huge stack of logs piled in the corner of a small office does not help you in any way. If you are going to get the most benefit from the inspection and documentation process, you must establish and maintain an excellent filing system. A fireproof file cabinet is a great place to start, as you can store files in just about any configuration you wish, with the added protection of keeping files safe from fire.
Even if you use documentation software or another electronic system, you should still have some type of organization for your database and files. Many software programs come with such features already built in and with options for customizing them for your needs. It is a good idea to have a back up hard drive or other data storage system in place to guard against loss of data due to a computer problem.
Document immediately so you do not forget
Never allow yourself to get behind on documentation tasks, because the more you avoid doing it, the harder it will be to get it done in the end. Get in the habit of doing required documentation right away instead of letting it slide. This is especially critical for documentation related to incidents and accidents – the longer you wait to record important information about the occurrence, the more likely you are to forget exactly what happen.
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