On Target: Making Sure Safety Hits the Mark
As we ramp up for an exciting DI Season we have another set of fantastic challenges – especially the Technical Challenge, On Target!
While these tips are good for all teams and Team Managers, regardless of the challenge, with this year’s technical challenge full of Aircraft Flightand Payload Drops, it’s especially important we remind ourselves of some key safety steps that we can all take!
Your team is encouraged to be creative and take risks, but that does not mean you may put yourself, your team, tournament officials, or the audience in danger. It is your team’s responsibility to design a safe solution that will not damage the Presentation Site, personal property, or your team meeting site.
So, what are some steps your team can take:
Read the Central Challenge and the Rules of the Roadvery carefully as a team, highlighting sections that you think are important to remember (especially Rules of the Road sections VII.G General Safety and VII.H Safety Guidelines and Restrictions).
If you have a question about a rule or whether your team’s solution is safe, send in a Team Clarification! Or if it is site specific, contact us at DI Ontario.
Talk to your Team Manager! If you plan to use tools, equipment, electricity, materials, or anything else that might be potentially unsafe, especially if it is your first time, make sure you learn how to operate those tools or use those materials safely. If you’re not sure if your solution is safe – run your idea by your Team Manager, while they won’t give you a solution to a problem they can let you know if an idea is unsafe.
Some notes for Team Managers and parents:
Remember, it is not interference to help the team build the skills they need to accomplish their solution. For example, a professional welder may teach your team how to weld, but that person may not show them how to weld any part of the team’s actual solution. If the team is not able to use a tool safely, the teammust find another way to solve that part of the Challenge.
Safety is always paramount for DI teams. It is not Interference for a Team Manager or parent to point out something to the team that the Team Manager or parent considers unsafe, nor is it Interference to prevent the team from engaging in any unsafe behaviour. If this occurs, the team must then figure out what it needs to do to be sure its solution is safe. In order to ensure the safety of the team, Team Managers may consider having another adult present at all team meetings.
It’s important to remember that your team may be asked to demonstrate that your solution to the Challenge is safe and will not pose a hazard to the audience, members of the Appraisal Team, or the site. The Appraisal Team may stop a Presentation at any time if they feel that a solution poses a safety risk.Your team may or may not be allowed to resume your Presentation, depending on the situation.
If tournament officials find a portion of your solution to be hazardous or not in compliance with the guidelines before your Presentation, you may be asked to make necessary alterations or eliminate that portion from your Presentation.
Good luck teams with your solutions this year and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to your Affiliate Challenge Master!
