Rule 13 - SAFETY
13.1: Appointment of the Tournament Safety Director
With each sanction
application, tournament organizers must appoint a Safety Director, who
may, with the approval of the Chief of Competition, appoint such
assistants as deemed necessary.
13.2: Responsibilities of the Safety Director
13.2.1
The Safety Director shall evaluate the safe condition
of all equipment, facilities and operation of the tournament, as well
as the safe condition of all personal equipment and the safe conduct of
skiers. The Safety Director shall have the authority to take whatever
action he/she feels is necessary to correct any unsafe conditions or
conduct. The Chief of Competition may overrule any action or decision
of the Safety Director if the Chief of Competitions decision is
supported by a simple majority of the event judges. During the
competition, the Safety Director may require the Chief of Competition,
at any time, to halt the tournament to evaluate apparent unsafe
conditions or conduct. No skier shall be allowed to compete or to
continue to compete if, in the opinion of the Safety Director and a
simple majority of the event judges, such action would constitute a
hazard to the skier or to others. Should the Safety Director stop a
tournament for any reason, disqualification time periods (
3.3,
7.2,
7.4.4,
7.5,
14.2,
15.15) shall not run, so long as the tournament is stopped.
13.2.2
The Safety Director shall determine whether or not personal
equipment to be used by each contestant meets safety requirements and
specifications.
13.3: Skier Injury
If a skier appears to have been injured, the
tournament medical officer or the boat judge may recommend that the
skier be brought to the shore for medical examination before he/she is
allowed to continue. In this situation, the 3-minute disqualification
period (7.2, 7.4.4, 7.5, 14.12, 15.15) shall be waived and the Chief of
Competition may elect to run the next skier.
13.4: Flotation Devices
Flotation devices shall be life jackets
meeting the following specifications: a) must be smooth and soft
and free from attachments or material likely to cause injury in a fall;
b) must be constructed and fastened in such a manner that it is
unlikely to be torn loose or damaged so as to render it useless in a
hard fall; c) must float the skier in full respiratory expiration;
d) must be constructed so as to provide adequate protection from
impact damage to the ribs and internal organs; e) must have full
back and front protection, plus shoulder straps; f) all foam and
protective material in life jackets must be a minimum of 13mm thick
(1/2 inch); a wet suit shall not be considered adequate protection in
this respect.
13.5: Safety Procedures
The prevention of injuries, distribution and
operation of safety boats and the management of casualties shall be as
outlined in the WSC Safety Manual.
13.6: Ski Safety
Skis must be safe. There must be no sharp or
abrasive (to the touch) metal, wood or other attachments to the ski
which could, in the opinion of the Safety Director, inflict possible
injury upon the skier.
13.7: Safety Jumping - Helmets and Jump Pants
13.7.1
A safety helmet
and jump suit or pants, approved by the Safety Director, must be worn
by all competitors in the jumping event. They are also recommended for
the slalom and trick events. The safety helmet must include a chin
strap which shall be approved by the Safety Director and fastened
during competition.
13.7.2
All contestants in jumping events shall be required to wear an
approved life jacket (13.4), safety helmet and jump suit or pants.
13.8: Safety Equipment - Slalom
All contestants in slalom events
shall be required to wear an approved life jacket (13.4).