Camp rules, etiquette, and mental health on rotation

Camp rules

Every camp has a written code of conduct, and the common threads across most Fort McMurray-area camps are: no alcohol (camps are dry), a zero-tolerance drug policy with pre-access and random testing (see our drug and alcohol testing guide for what that process actually involves and what rights exist in it), quiet hours (usually overnight, but built around the fact that some of camp is always sleeping given rotating shifts), restrictions on visitors and who can stay in your room, and rules about company networks and equipment being for work purposes, not personal use. Smoking is typically restricted to designated outdoor areas. Breaking the drug and alcohol policy is usually grounds for immediate removal from site (2025 estimate, unconfirmed -- exact policies vary by camp operator and employer).

Camp etiquette

Beyond the official rules, camp runs smoother with a few unwritten norms: keep noise down in hallways at all hours, not just posted quiet hours, since someone nearby is very possibly on nights and asleep during the day. Don't assume a shared bathroom or laundry room is only "yours" during your usual hours. Return gym equipment and rec room gear where you found it. Be mindful in the cookhouse during shift-change rushes, when lineups get long and everyone is either starving or exhausted. And generally, respect that everyone around you is also away from home for weeks at a time -- a little patience goes a long way in a small, closed community like camp.

Mental health on rotation

Long rotations, isolation from family, disrupted sleep from shift work, and limited outside stimulation can wear on anyone over time, even people who generally handle it well. Some things that workers and camp operators commonly point to as helping: keeping a consistent sleep routine even on days off, scheduling regular calls home rather than leaving it to chance, using the gym or rec room as a routine rather than an afterthought, and talking to a supervisor, camp services, or a peer if a rotation is going badly rather than trying to grind through it alone. Many employers and camp operators run an Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) with confidential counselling -- check your own benefits package or ask HR/camp services what is available at your camp specifically, since coverage varies by employer.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, Alberta's 24-hour Mental Health Help Line is 1-877-303-2642 (Alberta Health Services; 2025 estimate, unconfirmed -- confirm current number before relying on it), and the national 988 Suicide Crisis Helpline is available by call or text at 988, 24/7 (988.ca, accessed 2026-09-07).

If gambling becomes part of coping with rotation stress

Some workers use off-shift downtime for regulated online gambling as one of several ways to pass time on rotation. If gambling stops feeling like entertainment and starts feeling like a way to cope with stress, isolation, or boredom, that's a sign to step back and use the tools available -- see our responsible gambling page for provincial helplines and self-exclusion programs.