Guidelines for Safe Events

RRCA Guidelines for Safe Events (2010)

(pdf)

The RRCA is NOT a regulatory body and we do not sanction events.  The RRCA National Organization does not provide direct oversight for the conduct of local events.  RRCA member events are locally governed, owned and operated.  The RRCA does issue guidelines, not rules, for the conduct of safe events and provides a general liability insurance policy that covers certain activities for running clubs and running/walking events.  Review our Insurance FAQs to understand coverage.  All events insured by the RRCA are expected to follow the RRCA Guidelines for Safe Events (2010). Risk management is one of the primary responsibilities of a race director and following the RRCA Guidelines will help ensure a safer event for participants.  Furthermore, the RRCA insurance program is a group policy and poor planning and decision making by one can affect the program for all. It is a shared responsibility of race directors to ensure they are doing everything possible to deliver a safe, well planned event for their participants.

Highlights from the Guidelines for Safe Events

Volunteers

The recruiting, coordinating and instructing of volunteers for an event is essential in maximizing the safety of the race participants. Factors involved in volunteer coordination include the following:

• Designate a Volunteer Coordinator

  Assign a volunteer coordinator to gather and assign volunteers to specific jobs and train the volunteers.

• Recruit Volunteers

  well in advance of race day.

• Volunteer Waivers

  Ensure all volunteers have signed a waiver and ensure the guardians of minors have signed a waiver on behalf of minors volunteering for the event.

• Meet With Key Volunteers

  In advance of race day. Organize key volunteers to lead various areas of the race and make sure they fully understand the needs of their group. Train all volunteers and assign age-appropriate duties to minors.

• Manage Volunteers on Race Day

  The volunteer coordinator should meet volunteers at the designated volunteer check-in location and direct volunteers to their posts and review duties. Check on volunteers throughout the event to ensure adequate coverage.

• Thank Your Volunteers

  Allow volunteers to partake in the post race festivities, including refreshments.

Entry Forms

The pre-race sign-up procedures offer a substantial opportunity to collect information and communicate event safety and related information to the race participants. All events should collect basic contact information from all participants at a bare minimum as an emergency management practice.

Waivers

The entry form MUST contain a waiver or release of liability to be signed by the race entrant or if a minor, his or her guardian. Volunteers should also sign a waiver. Copy the sample waiver below for wording recommendations. It is suggested that each individual sponsor, local authority or club be specifically named in the waiver or release. It would be a good idea to include the name of the entity hosting the packet pick-up as well.  The more detail you can provide about the event dangers in the waiver, the more use the waiver will be in the event of an incident resulting in a legal action.

Participant Waiver for Race Registration

I know that running [volunteering for] a road race is potentially hazardous activity, which could cause injury or death. I will not enter and participate unless I am medically able and properly trained, and by my signature, I certify that I am medically able to perform this event, and am in good health, and I am properly trained. I agree to abide by any decision of a race official relative to any aspect of my participation in this event, including the right of any official to deny or suspend my participation for any reason whatsoever. I attest that I have read the rules of the race and agree to abide by them.  I assume all risks associated with running in this event, including but no limited to: falls, contact with other participants, the effects of the weather, including high heat and/or humidity, traffic and the conditions of the road [insert any specific risks related to your here, e.g. “the alligators who bask in the sun at the corner of 4th and Sunset St…”’], all such risks being known and appreciated by me. I understand that bicycles, skateboards, baby joggers, roller skates or roller blades, animals, and personal music players are not allowed in the race and I will abide by all race rules. Having read this waiver and knowing these facts and inconsideration of your accepting my entry, I, for myself and anyone entitled to act on my behalf, waive and release the __________________ [Name of event], the city of ______________________, and the Road Runners Club of America, all event sponsors, their representatives and successors from all claims or liabilities of any kind arising out of my participation in this event, even though that liability may arise out of negligence or carelessness on the part of the persons named in this waiver.  I grant permission to all of the foregoing to use my photographs, motion pictures, recordings or any other record of this event for any legitimate purpose.

Signature:
Date:

Parent’s Signature if under 18 years:
Date:

Waiver of Emergency Medical Treatment

From time to time, medical directors for a race may experience someone that refuses to accept medical assistance or refuses to drop out of the race at the recommendation of medical staff. The following is a sample waiver that race directors and or race medical directors can have a participant sign if they refuse to medical treatment on course or refuse to drop out of an event against the recommendation of medical staff.

(Name & Date of Race Here)

I,______________________________________, the undersigned participant in the above event, acknowledge that I have suffered an injury or illness during said event and have been offered medical assistance and/or transport to a medical facility for said injury. However, I have declined such medical assistance/transport to a medical facility and have willingly elected to continue in the above event with full understanding that my conduct may increase my risk of serious injury or death, including other unknown risks not reasonably foreseeable at this time, and that I willingly agree to assume all risk and accept personal responsibility for my actions and any damages as a result of such injury, including permanent disability or death, and I do hereby release, discharge and covenant to indemnify and not to sue the organizer(s) of said event, its affiliated organizations and sponsors, employees and associated personnel, officers, directors, agents, including the owners and lessors of premises used to conduct the event, and I also agree to save and hold harmless and indemnify each and all parties herein referred to above from all liability, loss, cost, claim or damage whatsoever as a result of my actions referenced herein.

I have read the above waiver/release and understand that I have given up substantial rights by signing this release and sign below voluntarily.

Participant Print Name:
Date:

Participant’s Signature:
Race Number:

Witness Print Name::
Date

Witness’s Signature:

Club Membership Waiver of Participation

I agree that I am a member of _______________________ (Name of Club), and I know that running in and volunteering for organized group runs, social events, and races with this club are potentially hazardous activities, which could cause injury or death. I will not participate in any club organized events, group training runs or social events, unless I am medically able and properly trained, and by my signature, I certify that I am medically able to perform all activities associated with the club and am in good health, and I am properly trained.  I agree to abide by all rules established by the club , including the right of any official to deny or suspend my participation for any reason whatsoever. I attest that I have read the rules of the club agree to abide by them.  I assume all risks associated with being a member of this club and participating in club activities which may include: falls, contact with other participants, the effects of the weather, including high heat and/or humidity, traffic and the conditions of the road [insert any specific risks related to your here, e.g. “the alligators who bask in the sun at the corner of 4th and Sunset St…”’], all such risks being known and appreciated by me. I understand that bicycles, skateboards, baby joggers, roller skates or roller blades, animals, and personal music players are not allowed to be used in club organized activities and I agree to abide by this rule. Having read this waiver and knowing these facts and inconsideration of your accepting my membership, I, for myself and anyone entitled to act on my behalf, waive and release the __________________ [Name of Club], the city of ______________________, and the Road Runners Club of America, all club sponsors, their representatives and successors from all claims or liabilities of any kind arising out of my participation with the club, even though that liability may arise out of negligence or carelessness on the part of the persons named in this waiver.  I grant permission to all of the foregoing to use my photographs, motion pictures, recordings or any other record for any legitimate promotional purposes for the club.

Signature:
Date:

Parent’s Signature if under 18 years:
Date:

RRCA Guidelines on Headphones in Events

The Road Runners Club of America does not usually dictate rules to our members; we offer guidelines on general safety that race directors and club leaders are encouraged to adopt as guidelines, rules or policies for their local events.

Since the mid 1980’s the RRCA has maintained a long-standing guideline against the use of headphones in running events and group training runs. This is a safety precaution and a risk management responsibility for race directors and run leaders. As such, race directors and group run leaders are encouraged to ban or strongly discourage the use of headphones in races and group runs.

Advising participants to leave headphones and audio devices at home or in the car is part of the risk management responsibility of a race director. Many participants do not understand or respect the awesome responsibility a race director shoulders to ensure the safety of every single participant in an event. Respecting an event director’s choice to prohibit headphones in an event or a group run is a shared responsibility of every participant to ensure the safety of all runners, the future success of the event, and the sport as a whole.

The RRCA understands that enforcement of a headphone ban or discouraging headphone use can be a challenge for race directors, especially for races that exceed several thousand runners. Because of this, the use of headphones in events and group runs are not excluded from the RRCA insurance policy. This means that if a race director promotes that headphones are not allowed or their use is discouraged in the event, but a participant shows up, runs the race in headphones, and has or creates an incident, the race director is still entitled to have the insurance company fund the defense or negotiate settlement in a legal case.

While the insurance policy does not exclude headphones, and the RRCA does not have an outright ban on their use during events, this does not mean that RRCA members taking advantage of the group insurance program can actively encourage runners to run while wearing headphones. That practice could jeopardize the integrity of the insurance program that benefits thousands of events and group runs every year.

On January 17, 2009, the RRCA Board of Directors met in open session to discuss the practice of active promotion of headphone friendly events. Under the advisement of the RRCA Insurance broker, and on behalf of the insurance underwriter, the RRCA Board of Directors unanimously passed a policy stating that RRCA members taking advantage of the group liability and Directors & Officers insurance program may not actively promote that headphones are welcome at RRCA insured events. Meaning RRCA members utilizing the insurance program should not engage in marketing campaigns that invite people to and run in events or group runs while wearing headphones.

To assist members, the following information outlines sample language that may be included in a race entry form or on a website relating to headphone use at an event:

Sample Language I – Voluntary Banning of Headphone Use

The use of personal music devices is strictly prohibited on course at this race. (Include your own language explaining your enforcement plan).

Sample Language II – Race Guideline Against Headphone Use

The use of personal music devices is strongly discouraged at this race. To enjoy all that our race has to offer and for the safety of all participants, (your race name) encourages a headphone-free environment during the running of (your race name).

We believe your race experience and those around you will be greatly enhanced by leaving the headphones at home or in the car. Running headphone-free allows opportunities to develop camaraderie with your fellow runners and to enjoy everything the race has to offer. Plus, volunteers and spectators will be on course cheering you on and providing directions to help get you to the finish line.

Runner safety has always been, and will continue to be, a top priority for our event. Please be mindful of the other participants and respect the race personnel to ensure a safe and enjoyable race for everyone.

RRCA Guidelines On Baby Jogging Strollers in Races

The Road Runners Club of America voted at its annual business meeting on June 10, 1989, to recommend a guideline against the use of baby joggers or strollers in road races.

The Road Runners Club of America strongly recommends against the participation of baby strollers/joggers in road races and against race organizers creating baby stroller divisions. The reason for this recommendation is that the inclusion of strollers in races increases the potential for injury to race participants and children.

The RRCA has no objection to and does not discourage the safe and prudent use of strollers or baby joggers in individual training situations. If allowed in a race, stroller or baby joggers or similar devices should be started in the back of the runners and walkers.