What is a Construction Camp?

Construction camps, also known as workforce camps or labor accommodation camps, are temporary residences established near remote construction project sites to house large numbers of workers.

Purpose

Many large-scale infrastructure and industrial construction projects are located far from existing towns and communities that could accommodate project workforces. Construction camps fulfill the important role of providing centralized housing, dining and recreation facilities for thousands of temporary construction employees.

By setting up a full-service camp adjacent to construction sites, companies can rapidly mobilize large workforces without needing to establish permanent housing infrastructure or transport workers long distances each day.

Components

A typical construction camp consists of modular living quarters, dining and kitchen facilities, recreational facilities, administration offices and medical clinics - all within a secure camp perimeter.

The bulk of man camp housing is in the form of prefabricated Man Camp Housing units, arranged in blocks to accommodate single and family occupancy in private rooms with en-suite bathrooms. Additional camp-style buildings provide communal services.

Operations

Construction camps support workers using fly-in fly-out or drive-in drive-out rosters, with rotations ranging 2-4 weeks at a time. Camp residents are fed scheduled meals and have access to amenities during work stints before returning home.

Third-party camp management companies typically operate larger construction camps, overseeing housekeeping, food service, recreation, transportation, medical care, administration and maintenance under regulated health and safety standards.

Scale

Camp sizes vary based on project scopes but can accommodate thousands of workers throughout construction phases. For example, large dam projects may house 5,000 people, LNG plant camps lodge 10,000, and mining camp villages quarter whole communities long-term.

Modular construction allows efficiently scaling up and down camp capacities to match fluctuating labor demands over years.

Regulations

As semi-permanent settlements, construction camps fall under workplace health, safety, environmental and community relations regulations, in addition to standards administered by organizations like the International Finance Corporation.

Guidelines ensure accommodation, facilities and management within camps uphold robust principles of workers' welfare, cultural awareness and sustainable development practices.