Midway Little League

Safety Manual

For

Managers and Coaches

2015 Season

POLICY STATEMENT:

A safe playing environment is vitally important, both for the welfare of our players and the good of the league. For us, safety is not only a requirement, but a moral responsibility.

The safety program is designed to enlist the full participation of all our volunteers to help provide a safe environment for all associated with Midway Little League.

Sincerely,

Midway Board of Directors

2015 Board of Directors

Director / Position / Phone (all 302 Area Code)
Patrick Crawford / President / 332-9566 (C)
John Tirrell / Exec. VP / 994-1984 (H)
Dave McCallister / Treasurer / 562-1648 (C)
Jackie Berta / Secretary/Fund Raising / 239-2751 (H)
Mickey Bundy / Equipment Manager / 743-1762 (C)
Tom Berta / VP Majors / 239-2751 (H)
Doug Brown / VP Minors A / 528-1755 (C)
Jim Coll / VP Minors B / 494-6679 (C)
Brent Spencer / VP T-Ball / 397-4867 (C)
Brian Ratasiewicz / VP Juniors/Seniors / 668 3829 (C)
Neal Kane / Sponsors & Adv. / 234-4299 (H)
Todd Metzler / Field Scheduler / 737-0950 (H)
Chris Allen / Player Agent/Umpire-in-Chief / 234-9504 (H)
Ed Cardona / President, League Auxiliary / 494-4832 (C)
Jack Edmiston / Information Officer / 379-1411 (C)
Jay Balaguer / Director at Large / 593-1096 (H)
Joe Pierce / Director at Large / 565-7007 (C)
Francine Dowd / Director at Large / 995-2511 (H)
Joe Malinowski / Safety Officer / 743-1384 (C)

(C) = Cell Telephone #

(H) = Home Telephone #

DISTRIBUTION OF SAFETY MANUAL

Updated copies of this Safety Manual and the Little League Baseball & Softball National Facility Survey will be kept in the concession stand, in the clubhouse, and online so that all involved with the league will have easy access to the documents. Printed copies are distributed to all league teams.

COMMUNICABLE DISEASE PROCEDURE

While risk of one athlete infecting another with HIV/AIDS during competition is close to non-existent, there is a remote risk that other blood-borne infectious diseases can be transmitted. For example, Hepatitis B can be present in blood as well as in other body fluids. Procedures for reducing the potential for transmission of these infectious agents should include, but not be limited to, the following:

  1. The bleeding must be stopped, the open wound covered and if there is blood on the uniform it must be removed before the athlete is allowed to resume participation.
  2. Routine use of gloves or other precautions to prevent skin and mucous membrane exposure when contact with blood or other body fluids is anticipated.
  3. Immediately wash hands and other skin surfaces if contaminated (in contact) with blood or other body fluids. Wash hands immediately after removing gloves.
  4. Clean all contaminated surfaces and equipment with an appropriate disinfectant before competition resumes.
  5. Practice proper disposal procedures to prevent injuries caused by needles, scalpels and other sharp instrument or devices.
  6. Although saliva has not been implicated in HIV transmission, to minimize the need for emergency mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, mouthpieces, resuscitation bags, or other ventilation devices should be available for use.
  7. Athletic trainers/coaches with bleeding or oozing skin conditions should refrain from all direct athletic care until the condition resolves.
  8. Contaminated towels should be properly disposed of/disinfected.
  9. Follow acceptable guidelines in the immediate control of bleeding and when handling bloody dressings, mouth guards and other articles containing body fluids.

SAFETY CODE FOR LITTLE LEAGUE

  • Responsibility for safety procedures should be that of an adult member of the local league.
  • Arrangements should be made in advance of all games and practices for emergency medical services. Follow the “Emergency Action Plan” attached.
  • Managers, coaches, and umpires should have some training in first aid. First Aid-Kits should be available at the field. The Safety Officer may inspect these kits periodically at games.
  • No game or practice should be held when weather or field conditions are not good, especially when lighting is inadequate.
  • The playing area should be inspected frequently for holes, damage, glass and other foreign objects.
  • Dugouts and bat racks should be positioned behind screens.
  • Only players, managers, coaches and umpires are permitted on the playing field during play and practice sessions.
  • Responsibility for keeping bats and loose equipment off the field of play should be that of a regular player assigned for this purpose.
  • Procedures should be established for retrieving foul balls batted out of the playing area.
  • During practice sessions and games, all players should be alert and watching the batter on each pitch.
  • During warm-up drills, players should be spaced so that errant balls endanger no one.
  • Equipment should be inspected regularly. Make sure it fits properly.
  • Pitching machines, if used, must be in good working order (including extension cords, outlets, etc.) and must be operated only by adult managers and coaches.
  • Batters must wear protective NOSAE helmets during practice, as well as during games.
  • Catchers must wear catcher's helmet (with face mask and throat guard), chest protector and shin guards. Male catchers must wear long-model chest protector (divisions below Junior/Senior League), protective supporter and cup at all times.
  • Except when a runner is returning to a base, headfirst slides are not permitted.
  • During sliding practice, the bases should not be strapped down.
  • At no time should “horse play” be permitted on the playing field.
  • Parents of players who wear glasses should be encouraged to provide “Safety Glasses”.
  • Players must not wear watches, rings, pins, jewelry or other metallic items.
  • Catchers must wear catcher’s helmet, face mask, and throat guard in warming up pitchers. This applies between innings and in bullpen practice. Skull caps are not permitted. Adults should never catch for a pitcher.
  • Batting/catchers’ helmets should not be painted unless approved by the manufacturer.
  • Regulations prohibit on-deck batters. This means no player should handle a bat, even while in an enclosed area, until it is his/her time at bat.
  • Players who are ejected, ill or injured should remain under supervision until released to the parent or guardian.

TRAINING

Free coaching clinic (date TBD after all managers & coaches are named and approved by the Board of Directors) and rules clinic (3/21/2015 from 8:00AM-1:00PM) will be offered at the Midway facility. One manager/coach from each team is required to attend these free training clinics. Safety will be emphasized in both clinics. The T-Ball Clinic will be held on March 21, 2015 from 1:30PM-3:30PM.

The required first aid training and AED training will be conducted by an American Heart Association CPR/AED and First Aid instructor on March 18, 2015 from 6:00-8:00PM in the Midway clubhouse. The league is urging all managers and coaches to attend the training session. An AED is available for use for those trained to operate it.

Information on How to Use a Fire Extinguisher will be posted in the concession stand and written in this manual. Remember the acronym PASS, which stands for Pull, Aim, Squeeze, and Sweep. *Pull the pin. *Aim at the base of the fire. *Squeeze the top handle or lever. *Sweep from side to side.

ROSTERS

Each year the Midway Player Agent will submit complete rosters, including coaches and managers, for all Midway teams to the Little League Data Center by the required Little League deadline.

FIRST AID

It is a requirement that all coaches/managers have first aid training; minimum of one participant per team. Training qualifies a volunteer for three years, but one team representative still needs to participate each year. In an emergency, 9-1-1 should be called first – follow the Emergency Action Plan attached. All teams will have a well-stocked First Aid Kit.

FIELD SAFETY

All fields use disengage-able bases. Prior to each game, coaches and umpires must walk around the field and look for any problems that may cause injury, and if found have the problem taken care of prior to the use of that field. The Little League National Facility Survey must be used for each field used by Midway Little League prior to each season. All deficiencies will be repaired prior to the use of the field. “No inning nor half-inning may be started after published sunset time of the date of the game or team practice unless the playing field is properly illuminated (to Little League standards) for baseball, in which case no inning nor half-inning nor any practice may continue past 9:15 PM when the following day is an ordinary school day. No regular season game or any practice may continue past 9:45 PM on any other evening without the specific approval of the Board of Directors. The intent of this rule is to suspend play when there is insufficient light to safely continue play. The rule in no way supersedes an umpire’s authority to stop a game before sunset time for any reason that would make continuing play unsafe. Managers, coaches and umpires must consider players' safety above their desire to complete a game.” Finally, all practices or games will cease immediately in the event of lightning, waiting a minimum of 20-25 minutes before resuming play.

CONCESSION STAND

All volunteers should be properly trained and supervised in food handling and use of all equipment. All Health Department rules on food handling will be followed. An awareness of proper hand-washing techniques will be posted in the stand. Those under the age of 13 years old are not permitted to volunteer in the concession stand. The concession stand will be properly cleaned after each night and inspected for cleanliness prior to use. The concession stand cannot be used as a first aid station for players, but a first aid kit is provided for workers of the concession stand. ABC fire extinguishers are located just inside the doorway of the concession stand and in the clubhouse. An oil fire extinguisher is located near the fryer. They will be inspected monthly and will be taken to our local fire department when recharging is necessary.

EQUIPMENT

All bats, helmets, catcher’s equipment, pitching machines and any other piece of equipment used by players must be inspected prior to use. Any items in need of repair or replacement should be given to the League Equipment Manger. All lawn mowing tractors, mowers, trailers, field drags and hand tools should be inspected at the beginning of each season and during the season. Any problems should be brought to the attention of the Equipment Manager. Any equipment of no future use will be destroyed or donated for scrap.

ACCIDENT REPORTING

All coaches/managers will be provided copies of the Incident/Injury Tracking Report forms. Follow the Midway Little League rules under General 1.24 for further guidance. Under these rules, all injuries that occur immediately following a practice or game to a player, coach, manager, spectator, or any person in the general area of a practice or game must be documented on the League’s Report form. These reports must then be sent to the Safety Officer within 24 to 48 hours of the incident. The Safety Officer will collate the incident reports. Incident/Injury Tracking Report forms are attached.

AUDIT

The purpose of a Safety audit is to identify unsafe acts and conditions that may have been overlooked or may have evolved, and to provide a path forward to correct. An audit will be conducted to inspect First Aid Kits, Emergency plans and equipment for the players. The Safety Officer will conduct these audits periodically throughout the season.

VOLUNTEERING

As part of our volunteering program, we will use either the 2015 Volunteer Application Form for new volunteers or the 2015 Returning Volunteer Application Form for returning volunteers who submitted forms in 2014 and underwent the required background check. All applicable volunteers, whether new or returning, will undergo the required nationwide background check through First Advantage. Forms are attached.

STORAGE BUILDING

All volunteers who will have access to the storage building area are responsible for the safe storage of rakes, shovels, bases, etc. The written operating procedures must be read prior to using any equipment. All chemicals or organic materials (lime, fertilizer, etc.) will be stored a safe distance from machinery and tools to help prevent damage to containers. Area must be kept clean at all times.

QUALIFIED SAFETY PLAN REGISTRATION FORM

Each year the Safety Officer will submit to Little League International the Qualified Safety Plan Registration Form.

EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS (Phones in concession stand and clubhouse)

Ambulance, Police, Fire 9-1-1

President, Pat Crawford (302) 332-9566

Exec. Vice President, John Tirrell (302) 994-1984

Safety Officer, Joe Malinowski (302) 743-1384 or (302) 994-7929

01/24/2015