Safety on the job for campground hosts | Campground Safety and Wildlife Guide

Campground hosts often work alone, at night, far from help, and deal with the public. These steps protect you on the job.

Before you start the job

Ask about insurance. Paid workers are usually covered by workers' compensation (WorkSafeBC, WCB, WSIB, CNESST and others in Canada; state workers' compensation in the US). Volunteers and independent contractors often are not. Ask the operator in writing who covers you if you are hurt, and whether you are covered by its liability insurance.
Get the job in writing. Duties, hours, what you must not do, who your supervisor is, and how to reach them after hours.
Ask for training for every task you are given: first aid, handling money, cleaning chemicals, water systems, power tools, golf carts or ATVs.
Know your rights. In Canada, workers have the right to know about hazards, to take part in safety, and to refuse unsafe work under provincial and territorial safety laws. In the US, OSHA rules protect employees. Volunteers should still refuse any task they are not trained or equipped to do safely.

Working alone

Set up a check-in plan with your supervisor or a partner: when you will check in, and what happens if you do not.
Know where cell service works. Where it does not, carry a two-way radio or a satellite messenger with an SOS button (such as a Garmin inReach or a phone with satellite messaging).
Tell someone before you go to a remote part of the campground, and when you are back.
Carry a phone, light, whistle, first aid kit and, in bear country, bear spray on every round.

Dealing with campers

Most hosting problems are about people, not wildlife. Your job is to inform, help and report. It is not to enforce the rules by force.

Approach calmly and friendly. Introduce yourself as the host and explain the rule and the reason for it.
Keep your distance, stand at an angle, and keep a clear way out behind you.
Do not argue, touch anyone or go into a site where people are drunk, angry or high. Leave and report.
At night, do not approach a noisy or aggressive group alone. Note the site number, vehicle plates and descriptions, and call the operator, park ranger, conservation officer or police.
Call 911 if anyone is threatened or hurt, or you see weapons, fighting or impaired driving.
Write down what happened, the time and who was involved, the same day.

Handling money and permits

Use the operator's drop safe or deposit routine. Do not keep large amounts of cash at your site.
Vary the time you collect fees and make deposits, and do not count cash where people can see.
If someone demands money, give it to them. Your safety comes first. Report it right away.

Physical work

Lifting: bend your knees, keep loads close and get help with heavy items such as picnic tables and full garbage bins.
Tools: wear gloves, eye protection and sturdy boots. Do not use a chainsaw unless you are trained and the operator approves it; many employers require a certificate.
Chemicals: read the label and the safety data sheet (WHMIS in Canada, OSHA Hazard Communication in the US). Never mix bleach with ammonia or acids; the gas is toxic.
Outhouses, sheds and closed cabins: mouse droppings can carry hantavirus. Do not sweep or vacuum them dry. Air the building out for 30 minutes, wear gloves and a mask, spray droppings with a bleach solution (1 part bleach to 9 parts water), wait 5 minutes, then wipe up with paper towels.
Sharps and waste: use gloves and tongs to pick up needles, broken glass and human waste. Put needles in a sharps container and report them.
Sun and heat: sunscreen, hat, water, and breaks in shade. See heat.

Golf carts, ATVs and UTVs

Get trained on the machine before you drive it. Wear a helmet on ATVs.
Drive slowly in the campground: children and pets step out between trailers.
Do not carry passengers on machines built for one.

Your own health

Bring enough of your medication for the whole season, and a copy of prescriptions. Pharmacies can be hours away.
Find the nearest hospital, clinic and pharmacy on your first day.
Hosting can mean long hours. Take your days off and rest.
If you are working in another province or across the border, check your health coverage. Provincial health plans may not cover everything outside your home province, and US care is costly without insurance.

General safety information for campground hosts, workers and campers in Canada and the US, compiled by CampHostJobs from Parks Canada, the US National Park Service, provincial, territorial and state agencies, and public health sources, October 2026. It does not replace training or the rules where you are. Always follow your employer, park staff and local officials. In an emergency, call 911.