The Safety Officer is a voting member of the Lincoln Glen LL and is expected to attend a majority of the board meetings. He/she manages all aspects of the safety related matters and training for all league members.
The Safety Officer has two main functions — education and the development and implementation of a safety plan.
Education
The Safety Officer is responsible for creating awareness and educating the league on the opportunities to provide a safer environment for children and all participants of Little League®.
Programs should be used to educate players, coaches, umpires, volunteers, and parents on safety and safety procedures. Coaches clinics that teach first aid, proper use of equipment (i.e. pitching machines), and player safety (i.e. pitching limits) are great ways to educate volunteers in the local league. With proper education, coaches will have the tools they need to keep players healthy and active during the season.
Development and Implementation of Safety Plan
The Safety Officer will prepare a safety plan each year for the league and make sure that the plan is used. A Safety Awareness Program (ASAP) will be prepared and submitted to Little League International each year. The Safety Officer needs to make sure that this tool is used within the league to help in establishing plans and procedures in regards to safety.
Promoting compliance of safety procedures is a key component of the Safety Officer’s duties. This is done by establishing and promoting a culture of safety within the league.
Reporting of accidents is a key function here, as it helps Little League International in developing new rules in regards to player safety. The reporting of near misses of accidents is also encouraged, as it will help local leagues identify possible areas of concern to include in future ASAP plans.
Protecting children and everyone in the league is the focus. Through the work of the league Safety Officer, creation of a safe environment for all Little League participants can be established and sustained. In return, this will promote goodwill for families that participate in the local league and the community by keeping it safer for all participants.
Further, the Safety Officer will work with the Info Officer and President to ensure that all confidential feedback forms are reviewed with proper action plans.
Lastly, they need to ensure the following:
(a) Be responsible to create awareness, through education and information, of the opportunities to provide a safer environment for youngsters and all participants of Little League Baseball.
(b) Develop and implement a plan for increasing safety of activities, equipment and facilities through education, compliance and reporting. NOTE: In order to implement a safety plan using education, compliance and reporting, the following suggestions may be utilized by the Safety Officer:
(1) Education - Should facilitate meetings and distribute information among participants including players, managers, coaches, umpires, league officials, parents, guardians and other volunteers.
(2) Compliance - Should promote safety compliance leadership by increasing awareness of the safety opportunities that arise from these responsibilities.
(3) Reporting - Define a process to assure that incidents are recorded, information is sent to league/district and national offices, and follow-up information on medical and other data is forwarded as available.
(4) Background Checks-if the league president so designates, the safety Officer will complete the required background checks per Little League Regulation I(b) and I(c)(8) & 9.
(5) Training- if the League President so designates, the Safety officer shall ensure that all the individuals who submit the Volunteer application complete the Abuse Awareness training per Little League regulation I(10) and as outlined in the Little leaguer Child Protection Program.
(6) Child Protection Program- if the League President so designates, the Safety officer will ensure the league is complaint with all the aspects of the Little League Child protection Program.