Greater South Showcase Lacrosse Tournament

Transcription

1 Greater South Showcase Lacrosse Tournament Risk Management Policy Statement: It is the policy of the Greater South Showcase Tournament that all of the tournament directors and volunteers shall comply with all relevant statutory provisions, regulations and codes of practice for the purpose of securing the health, safety and welfare of all directors, volunteers, spectators and players. It is also our policy to safeguard the health and safety of non-colleagues including volunteers, players, and the public who may be affected by our tournament activities. Our tournament directors will make such arrangements as may be considered appropriate to meet their responsibility, paying particular attention to the provision and maintenance of: Premises that are safe for all personnel using them; Fields and equipment are safe and without risk to health to all; Safe access to all places on the premises; Safe and healthy tournament environment; Arrangements for the safe use, handling, storage, transport and disposal of equipment, jerseys, and trash; Information, training and supervision to enable all staff and volunteers to minimise risks and contribute positively to their own health and safety; Risk assessment program for the elimination or reduction of occupational risks and suitable arrangements for continuing the identification, control, monitoring and review of risk. Tournament directors have the prime responsibility for health and safety and the overall implementation of this policy within the Greater South Showcase Tournament. All tournament directors and volunteers have the responsibility for implementing this health and safety policy. They must ensure that health and safety issues are placed amongst the highest priorities by promoting best practice and maintain commitment to continuous improvement. The policy guidance notes must be read and understood by all tournament directors and volunteers. All tournament directors and volunteers are required to exercise personal responsibility and cooperate in preventing harm to themselves and others and ensuring that the tournament premises are safe. It is an important responsibility of everyone, whatever we do, to work as a Staff and contribute to these objectives. All tournament directors and volunteers are required to read these documents thoroughly and make sure they understand the part they have to play in making this policy work in practice.

2 Risk Management Process Risk management is the process of advising tournament directors and volunteers of the potential and perceived risks involved in the tournament. It also includes monitoring tournament activities and taking corrective actions and proactive steps to minimize accidental injury and/or loss. There are five key elements of proactive risk management to be aware of: 1. Identification: Prior to hosting the tournament it is important to identify the risks associated with the tournament. Risks do not include only those things that can lead to injury, but also include risks to a team or player s reputation, personal feelings of players and parents, finances, and/or property. 2. Evaluation: Once the tournament directors have identified the risks associated with the tournaments activities, these risks should be evaluated to determine both the potential consequence to the tournament directors, volunteers, spectators, and/or individuals participating in the tournament should one of the risks be realized. It is also important to think through the environment in which the tournament is taking place and determine the probability of the risks occurring. A proper evaluation of potential risks prior to the tournament will assist the organization in minimizing, eliminating potential problems to an acceptable level. 3. Treatment: Once the risks have been evaluated, tournament directors must determine the most effective method for managing each risk. Tournament directors may choose to do one of three things after evaluation: eliminate, limit, or accept the risks. Many tournament events by their very nature involve some type and level of risk. Therefore, the answer should not always be to eliminate the activity simply because the risk exists. Instead, tournament directors in conjunction with the staff and volunteers should work to determine how to best manage and minimize the risks. 4. Implementation: It is not enough to identify and plan for potential problems. In order to be truly successful, tournament directors must follow through on the action items identified to mitigate and/or eliminate potential risks. Tournament directors must document their action plans, and educate volunteers on what the plan is, design steps in the plans that permit for monitoring potentially risky components of the activity to assure that plans are being followed. 5. Evaluation: Upon completion of the tournament, tournament directors should evaluate the experience. Reflecting back on the tournament and identifying both those things that went well and those that were not as successful will provide valuable information for future tournaments as well as future directors who hope to host the same or a similar tournament.

3 Risk Management Plan It is important that everyone involved in the Greater South Showcase Tournament is aware of safety concerns and managing the risks of playing lacrosse whether they are coaches, umpires and officials, or tournament directors. The following guidelines have been established by the Greater South Showcase Tournament Directors to help those involved in lacrosse to be aware of the important ways to minimize the risks inherent in the game and to maximize the use of best safety practices in all lacrosse activities. Greater South Showcase Tournament strongly recommends that all lacrosse coaches obtain a coaching certification and/or a Sports Safety Training certification through the American Red Cross or other safety accredited organization. The components of the training program should include First Aid, CPR, training in the use of AED s and injury prevention. Programs are encouraged to contact their local American Red Cross office. Planning and Sports Safety for Tournament Directors, Volunteers and Coaches: All lacrosse tournament directors, volunteers and coaches have a number of duties inherent in their operations, whether they realize it or not. Understanding and identifying the significant areas of risk involved with lacrosse is an important facet of a tournament directors, volunteers and coach s responsibilities: 1. Provide a letter before the tournament for parents, players, volunteers, coaches and officials that includes information on the inherent risks of lacrosse and outlines their involvement in upholding sports safety and the code of conduct. 2. Secure a waiver & hold harmless release of liability from each participant (or parent/guardian, if a minor). 3. Provide proper and adequate supervision of players at all times. 4. Establish an Emergency Plan, communicate and review plan with all coaches, staff and volunteers. 5. Provide a safe physical environment (fields should be checked for hazards; equipment should be checked for fit, wear and tear, etc.). 6. Check that all players have the proper equipment and ensure that proper equipment is worn at all times, and that it is maintained and properly sized 7. First Aid & Safety: All coaches should have First Aid and Emergency Medical training; If not, an athletic trainer will be on site and First Aid kits should be available at all tournament games; a procedure to monitor the physical condition of athletes during tournament games should be developed. 8. Keep records for the teams, such as waivers, injury reports, emergency medical info on players, etc. 9. All teams, coaches and officials/umpires should be aware of and adhere to Greater South Showcase Tournament safety policies regarding the following: a. Lightning Safety i. Check local forecast prior to tournament games ii. A volunteer will monitor and report weather conditions outside to a tournament director iii. Referees will make the call to leave the field of play in the event of inclement weather

4 iv. Provide shelter for all volunteers, players, and spectators. All must remain under the shelter for 30 minutes past the time the last lightning is observed. b. Commotio Cordis and Sudden Cardiac Arrest i. Provide quick and easy access to an AED; ii. Educate all volunteers to recognize the mechanisms of Commotio Cordis; iii. Require all protective athletic equipment to meet all appropriate safety standards, if they exist. NOCSAE, ASTM, HECC, PECC are such appropriate bodies. c. Heat Exhaustion i. Schedule regular fluid breaks during tournament games. Players should be hydrated prior to the start of games or practices and to continue to drink eight ounces of fluid every 20 minutes during the activity with water or sports drinks. ii. Players should avoid soda, caffeine drinks and alcohol before or during games, as these can promote dehydration. iii. Make player substitutions more frequently in the heat. iv. Take helmet breaks every 30 minutes to ensure that heat in the helmets gets released. v. Respond quickly if heat-related injuries occur. d. Greater South Showcase Tournament Athletic Trainer Guidelines i. NATA certified athletic trainers and/or graduate students in a NATA approved curriculum for staffing ii. Immediate evaluation and primary care for an injury iii. Immediate referral to appropriate medical facility or on-call medical personnel if necessary iv. Transportation of injured athlete to car or ambulance and/or have on-hand written directions to nearest medical facility v. Communication between medical director and on-field athletic trainers vi. Record all treatments and referrals of all injured/treated athletes vii. Direct Emergency access for EMS to the injured athlete e. Policy on Waivers and Releases i. The form must boldly and clearly state that it is a Waiver and Hold Harmless Release of Liability. ii. The statement of waiver and release must directly follow the heading listed above. iii. Since the waiver is a contract, there must be consideration exchanged, such as: In consideration for the right to play lacrosse, I agree to. iv. The signature(s) should directly follow the statement of waiver and release v. Tournament directors, coaches, officials and volunteers should be indemnified in the release. f. First Aid and Safety Kits i. The kit should be a waterproof container that can handle a lot of banging around and still be easy to open the lid. ii. It should be on the field at every game.

5 iii. Along with the kit should be a container of ice; cooler of cold water and cups/individual water bottles. iv. No medication, including over-the-counter aspirin, ibuprofen, and Tylenol products shall be kept in the kit. v. Parents should ensure that athletes who need special medications shall have them at all practices and events. Coaches must be made aware of those special needs. The Role of Tournament Directors: Pre-tournament facility inspection. Crowd management. Monitor weather forecasts. Plan for weather emergencies. Develop an Emergency Evacuation Plan. Plan for alternate indoor facilities. Pre-tournament Inspection for Tournament Directors: Look at all fields for tournament games. Resolve inadequate areas of the tournament site. Identify any special ground rules for safety. Address contract issues. Create an emergency plan. Facility Safety Inspection Guidelines: Entrances & exits. Playing fields and field conditions. Seating & bleachers; spectator areas. Lighting & electrical systems. Fencing, barriers & perimeter areas. Medical facilities. Maintenance & housekeeping facilities and bathrooms. Communications station. Crowd Management: Monitor changing behavior of crowds. Determine the need for athletic trainer stations. Spectator departure/pedestrian traffic. Parking lot/traffic supervision. The Role of Officials, Coaches and Volunteers: General supervision. Problem resolution. Maintaining safety and appropriate behavior of players, spectators and volunteers.

6 Risk Register 1. Bomb or Terrorist threat 2. Person with a weapon 3. Risk of a fire 4. Potential Poisons/Toxins: herbicides, pesticides, fertilizer, etc. 5. Injury to player, spectator/coach, volunteer, tournament director. 6. No emergency power source. 7. Faulty lighting and electrical systems. 8. Inclement weather: lightning, heavy rain, tornado, etc. 9. Stones, pieces of glass and other objects or debris on the field or premises. 10. Any holes, depressions, raised sprinkler heads and other hazards on the field or premises. 11. Unsafe fencing, barriers and perimeter areas. 12. No handicap access - no entryways and exits; ramps; restroom access; parking. 13. Poor condition, location and lighting of parking lots, including passenger pick-up/dropoff areas. 14. Poor location, accessibility and visibility of entrances and exits. 15. Unsafe grounds, walkways, stairs and other surfaces due to poor condition. 16. Unsafe positioning of seating, bleachers and spectator areas resulting in spectators standing or sitting to close to the playing field. 17. Poor condition and location of restrooms and portable toilets (port-o-johns). 18. No security at ticket booth; just volunteers.

7 GREATER SOUTH SHOWCASE TOURNAMENT RISK DATA FORM Please be as accurate as possible. We encourage reporting of all incidents. Date: Time of accident: Field Number: Name of person completing form (last, first) Address City State Zipcode Phone #: COMPLETE THIS SECTION IF THERE WAS AN INJURY: Type of Bodily Injury (If any): The injured person(s) is a: Player Spectator Employee Location of accident: Name(s) of Person(s) injured: Describe exactly what happened: Emergency medical treatment given? Yes No To Whom? By whom? Describe procedure(s): Person(s) taken to hospital? Yes No Name of hospital: Were police called to the scene? Yes No Name of police department and officer:

8 Digital Version of Greater South Showcase Risk Data Form: nwd-e-u/viewform?usp=send_form Liability For the Greater South Showcase Tournament, not only will we train our volunteers about ways to reduce liability, we will purchase Sports Insurance from K&K Insurance. K&K Insurance has a program that is designed to provide coverage on a short term basis for a single amateur sports tournament or event. Coverage provided under this program includes important liability coverage for the U.S.-based organization conducting the event(s), including the employees and volunteers, for liability claims arising out of its operations. Coverage is also included for ancillary activities (banquets, concerts, awards ceremonies) that are for those participants in your sports tournament(s) or event(s). Eligible Operations An amateur sports tournament or event that meets all of the following criteria is eligible to submit an enrollment form for coverage under this program: Maximum number of participants is 2,500 Maximum spectator attendance per day is 7,500 Maximum number of event days (including practice days) is 14 days (not including set-up and tear down) The sport activity being conducted falls into one of the eligible classes: Class 3: Lacrosse (ages 19 & under) Coverages Available: Commercial General Liability Bodily Injury & Property Damage Personal & Advertising Injury Medical Expense (other than participants) Damage to premises rented to you (Fire Legal Liability) Products-completed Operations Legal Liability to Participants Medical Payments for Participants Optional Coverages: Sexual Abuse, Molestation, Harassment or Sexual Conduct Defense Cost Reimbursement Coverage Sexual Abuse or Sexual Molestation Liability Amateur Sport Tournaments and Events Insurance Program and Enrollment Form: Amateur Sport Tournaments and Events Supplemental Requests Form: