Some sports injuries cannot be avoided. Such as an observer being hit by a foul baseball or a player twisting a knee when coming down. Still, many of these injuries can be prevented. Broken bones and twisted ankles can come from a variety of issues. Some of them that your facility can work to prevent.
Here are the three things that every sports facility can do to be prepared for sports facility injuries.
Written Safety Policies
Writing a safety policy can be intimidating, but it is essential to make sure your facility does not fall into any legal situations. A properly laid-out safety policy should include the requirement for a documented athlete health screening (or physical), requirements for supervision while using certain equipment, and references to safety signage that will be posted throughout your facility.
As a final step in documenting your safety policy, you need to have it reviewed by a legal professional to make sure it conforms to all local, state and federal laws. You can never have too many safety protocols in place!
Proper Facility Management
Posting safety-related signage is the first step, but additional communication is required. Written and email communication of those policies is also important.
Even if you communicate your safety policies on every wall of your facility, you will always have athletes who are negligent and do not heed your warnings. That is why it is important for your staff, instructors, players, and everyone who walks into your facility to have some level of safety training. This orientation should take place on or before their first day of using the facility. This helps them become aware of your safety policies.
Staff negligence can also play a part in player sports injuries. All staff members need to be aware of event schedules, league games and tournaments. This will allow everyone to make sure fields and areas of your facility are not booked above maximum occupancy.
Facility maintenance is imperative. Broken equipment, problems with turf and insecure nets can lead to injuries. And unfortunately, these issues can also be considered negligence in the event there is a serious injury as a result of a maintenance issue. Any courts or fields that are under maintenance need to be blocked off with adequate signage.
Emergency Preparation
All staff members need to know the protocols for an emergency. This should be handled during employee orientation, and continuous retraining should be scheduled at least on a quarterly basis. A first aid kit should be readily available.
A common emergency procedure could look like this:
- Inform the athlete to remain immobile
- Contact EMS
- Provide the dispatcher with vital details, such as your facility’s address, the type of injury and any actions taken to assist the athlete
Sports facility management software is a great way to ensure that your facility remains organized and has the proper communication channels to alert players and coaches of safety policies. eSoft Planner’s powerful features allow you to restrict and prioritize space in your facility as well as manage liability waivers. Professional management of your facility begins with efficiency in your administrative management.
If you’d like to see how eSoft Planner works, click here and fill out the form to request a free demo.
