Global:Safety resources
Safety resources
Concussion recognition resources
A concussion is an injury to the brain that results in temporary loss of normal brain function. It is the most common form of mild traumatic brain injury, often sustained from a blow to the head after a fall or an accident or during contact sports.
You don't have to be knocked out or even be hit on the head directly to be concussed, and symptoms can take time to appear (next day, or even days after). Only 10% of concussions result in a loss of consciousness. Most concussions are self-reported, and they often go undiagnosed. Even a mild concussion can have long-lasting effects.
Combatants will often try to hide signs of a concussion so they can keep fighting, so having advocates on the sidelines to reduce the stigma of saying you're hurt or experiencing symptoms like dizziness or lightheadedness can make a big difference in getting people to report and get treatment for a concussion.
Publicly available tools are available to help identify concussion in yourself and others.
- Concussion in Sport, particularly their Concussion Recognition Tool helps non-medically trained people to identify and manage concussions in children, adolescents and adults, and is supported by professional and amateur sports organizations. It's not designed to diagnose concussion, but will help identify when someone should go and get checked out by a medical professional.
- CDC Heads Up site will help you recognize, respond to, and minimize the risk of concussion or other serious brain injury.
- ImPACT (baseline and post-injury testing) is a FDA cleared medical device, is used by healthcare, educational, and sports organizations to help assess and manage concussions. (Testing now also available online.)
International sporting bodies strongly recommend that participants who have experienced a concussion be symptom free for 14 days before return to any contact training, and wait at least 21 days (and have been symptom free for 14 days) before return to competitive contact activities.
Heat guidelines
We strongly recommend that kingdoms develop Heat Conventions/Policies for their environment and activities.
- Definitions/Measurement types
- Heat index is the measure of the temperature that a person feels, which is different from the actual air temperature, as it factors in humidity as well as air temperature. It might also be called the apparent temperature.
- Wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) is a measure of the heat stress in direct sunlight, which takes into account: temperature, humidity, wind speed, sun angle and cloud cover (solar radiation). This differs from the heat index, which takes into consideration temperature and humidity and is calculated for shady areas. It is used by industrial hygienists, athletes, sporting events and the military to determine appropriate exposure levels to high temperatures. While there are mobile apps, a handheld device will provide much more accurate local data.
- The flag system is used by US military and OSHA. It also provides work-rest cycles that can be adapted to provide adequate breaks between fights and rounds in addition to hydration.
- If the Heat Index reaches 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39.4 degrees Celsius), OR the WBGT reaches 90 (Black Flag), marshals must evaluate if martial activities should continue or be postponed or canceled. If continued, marshals should also evaluate if additional mitigation measures are needed.
- At increased levels, participants should act with caution and in the interest of their health.
- As always, local marshals are allowed to cancel official activities based on their reading of the environment.
Helpful resources
The OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool App provides (note: this is only available in the USA):
- A visual indicator of the current heat index and associated risk levels specific to your current geographical location
- Precautionary recommendations specific to heat index-associated risk levels
- An interactive, hourly forecast of heat index values, risk levels, and recommendations for planning outdoor activities
- Location, temperature, and humidity controls, which you can edit to calculate for different conditions
- Signs and symptoms and first aid for heat-related illnesses
Air quality guidelines
Kingdoms are highly recommended to develop Air Quality Policies for their environment and activities.
- Definitions/Measurement
- The U.S. Air Quality Index (AQI) is EPA’s index for reporting air quality and includes a combined scale for Ozone and particle pollution.
- When the local AQI is over 200, marshals must evaluate if outside martial activities should continue or be postponed or canceled. If continued, marshals should also evaluate if additional mitigation measures are needed.
- At increased levels, participants should act with caution and in the interest of their health.
- As always, local marshals are allowed to cancel official activities based on their reading of the environment.
Helpful resources
- Current measurements for the US and Canada can be found at: https://fire.airnow.gov/
- Additional information can be found at: https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-basics/