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Health, Safety and Liability Requirements

 

Requirement
All Events
1. Emergency Medical and Safety Plan √
2. Medical Area Requirements √
3. Medical Staff Requirements √
4. Health and Safety Tips √
5. Weather Policy √
6. Lightning Policy √
7. Extreme Heat and Cold √
8. Nutrition √
9. Alcohol Policy √
10. Minors- requirements for events with participants under 18 √
11. Liability Insurance √

Key: √ means requirement applies to that event type, multiple √’s indicates an increased requirement

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  • 1. Emergency Medical and Safety Plan
    • Template provided here.
    • Must keep copy at designated medic area at event site and communicate information in plan to teams prior to the event
  • 2. Medical Area Requirements
    • For any field site with more than 1 playing field, a set medical area must be designated for the duration of the event
  • 3. Medical Staff Requirements
    • Event Size (# of people including spectators) Normal Conditions (Heat Index <90F) Heat Caution (Heat Index >=90F and <100F)** Participant Age women>55, men>50 Time for ambulance to arrive >15mins
      < 50 A B C C
      50 - 250 B B D D
      250-500 D D D and AED D and AED
      501-999 1ATC 1ATC 1ATC and AED 1ATC and AED
      1000-1999 2ATC* and AED 2ATC* and AED EMT, 2ATC* and AED EMT, 2ATC* and AED
      >=2000 3ATC* and AED EMT, 3ATC* and AED EMT, 3ATC* and AED EMT, 3ATC* and AED

      *If majority of people are spectators, 2ATC can be replaced by D and 1ATC; 3ATC can be replaced by 2D and 1ATC.
      **When Heat Index gets to 100F, play must be suspended until heat index falls below 100F.

      Medical Contact (MC) must be 25 or older, must know how to get to the nearest hospital and must be able to call 911 immediately if needed.

      Key:
        A = MC is on-site participant
        B = MC is on-site non-participant
        C = MC is on-site participant with basic first aid knowledge and CPR training
        D = MC is on-site non-participant with basic first aid knowledge and CPR training 
        ATC = Certified Athletic Trainer
        AED = An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is present at the tournament site
        EMT = Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic on-site

      Note: If using satellite field sites, you must meet the above requirements for each satellite field site (more than 5 minutes away).  For example: If there are 500 players at one field site and 50 on another (that is more than 5 minutes away) then the first field site must at least meet the 250-500 event size requirements and the second field site must meet 50-250 event size requirements for my small field site.
  • 4. Health and Safety Tips
    • Tips are here, and information will be distributed to team contacts in a pre-event email sent by USAU staff
  • 5. Weather Policy
    • Complete the Inclement Weather Plan and share plan with team contacts.
    • In the event that changes need to be made to the competition format or schedule, the Formats Committee and Formats Manual are available as resources. (Note: Changes to Championship Series events must be approved by the appropriate USA Ultimate coordinator.)
  • 6. Lightning Policy
    • Please review these guidelines before your event and keep on hand for reference.  Adapted from the 2002-2003 NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook Lightning Safety Guidelines:

      Lightning can be a significant threat to the safety of participants in outdoor athletic events like Ultimate.  The odds of being struck by lightning are significant reduced when proper safety precautions are taken.  The following preventative steps should be taken by USA Ultimate event coordinators in an effort to maintain the safety of participants and spectators.
      • Establish a chain of command to determine who is watching for a potential lightning threat and who will make the call to stop play and send individuals to safety.
         
      • Establish a means by which lightning safety decisions and procedures will be communicated effectively to participants and spectators.
         
      • Establish a means to monitor local weather conditions and weather advisories / warnings both prior to and during the event.
         
      • Be aware of and be able to communicate to partipants and spectators the location of the closest safe shelter.  Safe shelter includes the following:
        • First choice: Any frequently used building with electrical wiring and plumbing facilities which will help to ground the structure.  Shower facilities should be avoided.  Showers and other plumbing facilities should not be used during a storm event.
        • Second choice: Any fully enclosed vehicle with a hard top and closed windows.  It is not the rubber tires that protect the occupants from a lightning strike, but the hard metal framework which dissipates the electric charge around the vehicle.  It is important to not touch the sides of the vehicle.
           
      • Use the Flash-to Bang method to determine when and if you need to send people to shelter.  By the time the Flash-to-Bang count has reached 30 seconds, all individuals should be in a safe shelter location.

        Flash-to-Bang:  Begin counting when a lightning flash is sighted.  Stop counting when the associated thunder is heard.  Divide the count by 5 to determine how far away the lightning is.  30 seconds equals about 6 miles.  Lightning has been known to strike from as far away as 10 miles, even under clear skies.
      • Wait at least 30 minutes after the last flash of lightning or sound of thunder before resuming play.
         
      • If you can't get to a safe shelter, try to avoid being the tallest object in an open field or on open water.  Avoid other tall objects, metal objects, and water.  Assume a crouch position with only the balls of your feet touching the ground, your arms wrapped around your knees, and your head lowered.  Minimize contact with the ground.  Do not lie flat.
         
      • Avoid using telephone land lines.  Cell phones are safe provided the person has followed other safety guidelines.
         
      • If someone is struck by lightning, observe the following procedures:
        • Survey the scene for safety
        • Call 911
        • Lightning victims are safe to touch. They do not carry a charge.
        • If necessary, move victim carefully to a safer location.
        • Evaluate airway, breathing and circulation.  Begin CPR if necessary.
        • Evaluate and treat for hypothermia, shock, fractures, and/or burns 
  • 7. Extreme Heat and Cold
    • Refer to Medical Staff Requirements above.  When the Heat Index reaches 100F, play must be suspended.  In colder temperatures and/or wetter conditions, it is important to be cognizant of conditions conducive to hypothermia.   Organizers should consult with event medical staff, discuss the situation with team captains, and be willing to adjust the schedule or delay/cancel games to ensure player safety.
  • 8. Nutrition
  • 9. Alcohol Policy
    • USA Ultimate does not condone the unlawful or unauthorized use, possession, distribution, consumption, promotion, marketing, or sale of alcoholic beverages at USA Ultimate official, sponsored, sanctioned or affiliated events. 

      USA Ultimate members, players, organizers or representatives of the organization, must not compete at USA Ultimate official, sponsored, sanctioned or affiliated events, or carry out responsibilities related to official organization and event business, while under the influence of alcohol or illegal/banned drugs.  Additionally, these individuals must not engage in the unlawful or unauthorized use, possession, distribution or consumption of alcoholic beverages or illegal/banned drugs at said events or while representing USA Ultimate in an official capacity.

      Alcohol shall not be marketed, provided, served or sold at USA Ultimate official, sponsored, sanctioned or affiliated youth events (events where all of the participants are under 21).

      NOTE: USA Ultimate liability insurance for your event does not include alcohol liability.
  • 10. Minors
  • 11. Liability Insurance
    • USA Ultimate sanctioned, sponsored and series events receive full coverage under our general liability policy.  USA Ultimate insurance covers Ultimate and Ultimate-related activities only.
    • Liability Insurance Information
       

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