1. In organising a Games Day, schools should make proper arrangements for the following:
1.1 Helpers must be properly briefed. The briefing should cover the rules, the potential risks, safety measures, the co-ordination between judges and helpers, discipline and control of the participating students;
1.2 Competitors (including students, parents/guardians, staff, alumni, etc) must be reminded that they should have undergone proper training or practice before competitions; and
1.3 Contingency measures for adverse weather conditions should be drawn up and made known to all relevant parties concerned.
2. The written consent of the parents of participating students must be obtained before the Games Day.
3. Before entering any event, students must be reminded to pay attention to their own health conditions and not to engage in activities which are beyond their abilities, and must wear proper clothing and shoes.
Administrative Procedure
4. Schools should invite qualified first aid teams (such as the Hong Kong St. John Ambulance, the Hong Kong Auxiliary Medical Services, etc) to provide first aid services as far as possible on the Games Day. If this cannot be arranged, the school should appoint a person possessing a valid first aid certificate to perform such duties.
5. The routes of entering and leaving the venue on the Games Day and the procedures and the routes of evacuation in an emergency must be planned in advance and made known to all relevant parties concerned.
6. Prior permission should be obtained from the officer-in-charge of a venue of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department or the Housing Department for organising the designed games there.
7. The school should contact the officer-in-charge of the venue concerned and the duty-officer on the Games Day at least three working days prior to the Games Day to ensure that there will be proper and adequate provision of equipment and facilities for the Games Day. The school must note the following:
7.1 The arrangements agreed and the points discussed with the staff of the venue are recorded; and
7.2 A layout plan of the venue concerned is obtained indicating clearly and correctly the venue for each event, the location of emergency exits, the first aid room, the parking space for emergency vehicles, etc.
8. Helpers must be properly trained before the Games Day.
9. The school should ensure that there are sufficient officials and helpers on duty in the venue. Students of senior primary (except for throwing events) or above may be assigned to offer assistance.
10. Before the Games Day, the school should make sure that all the staff and students are aware of the following:
10.1 The potential risks of each event on the Games Day and the safety precautions to be observed;
10.2 The need to maintain good discipline and observe rules;
27
10.3 The responsibility of each individual in the prevention of accidents;
10.4 Contingency measures and relevant arrangements in adverse weather conditions;
10.5 The routes of entering and leaving the venue and the procedures and routes of evacuation in an emergency;
10.6 The layout plan of the venue such as the venue for each event, the location of emergency exits, the first aid room, the parking space for emergency vehicles, etc.;
and
10.7 The need to report to the teachers in charge or the crisis management team in case of accidents or unexpected incidents.
11. In drawing up the programme, the school should make sure that :
11.1 A Games Day should be held on a spacious, non-slippery and level ground. If it is held indoors, adequate lighting and ventilation should be provided. If there are fans, lights, pillars, sharp edges, etc in the vicinity of the Games Day, safety checks and appropriate measures should be imposed;
11.2 In the selection and design of events, consideration should be given to the ability of students and the physical environment and facilities of the competition venue;
11.3 Due consideration should be given to the rules of each type of event, division of labour, the availability of manpower and facilities, the enrolment of competitors and time available for running the programme, etc.;
11.4 For games involving body contact, students of opposing teams should be of approximately the same age group, physical capacity and body size;
11.5 The rules and regulations of the games should be clearly stipulated before the Games Day;
11.6 For games involving slopes or places with slopes, it is advisable to run upwards rather than downwards;
Programme Planning
11.7 In all events, adequate space must be provided as a buffer area for deceleration. For games to be conducted in a designated boundary, such as in lanes, adequate space should be provided and no finishing tape should be set at the finish point; and
11.8 Sufficient time should be left in the intervals between the heats, semi-finals and final of the same event.
12. In the following circumstances, an outdoor Games Day should be cancelled or postponed:
12.1 The Education Bureau announces suspension of classes;
12.2 The Hong Kong Observatory issues the Red or Black Rainstorm Warning Signal;
12.3 The Hong Kong Observatory issues the Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal Number 3 or above ;
12.4 The AQHI or its forecast reaches 10+ Note 12 at the activity zone; and
12.5 Serious flooding in the district at which the school or the venue is located.
13. Strenuous or prolonged events should be cancelled or postponed in hot or extremely humid weather conditions.
14. When the Hong Kong Observatory issues the Thunderstorm Warning, the schools should discuss with the duty-officer of the venue to cancel or postpone the events. If the isolated thunderstorm warning is issued, please refer to Chapter 1
Note 8 for the proper arrangement (except for indoor venues).
15. Competitors should be reminded to be aware of their own health conditions on the Games Day and that they should not engage in activities which are beyond their abilities. When they feel sick before or during competitions, they should stop competing and report to the relevant teachers immediately.
16. Competitors should be advised to warm up thoroughly before each event and to keep their body warm while waiting for events.
17. All equipment must be checked for safety before use. Wet implements should be dried with cloths or towels before use.
18. All equipment must be securely installed.
Conduct
of the Games Day Cancel or Postpone
29
19. Obstacles used for hurdling should come off easily or fall naturally at contact so that participants would not be tripped over.
20. Schools should strictly enforce the rules and regulations of the games to ensure that they are conducted in safe conditions.
21. Helpers should wear uniforms or signs for easy identification.
22. People not involving in the event in progress should not be allowed to enter the competition areas.
23. On completion of each event, all competitors must leave the competition area immediately.
24. Before each trial, the judge should stand inside the throwing circle/arc, or in front of the scratch line of the cross bar or the take-off board/line to remind competitors not to make a trial until the landing area/sector is clear and the measurement is completed.
25. Competitors must stop making a trial when they are aware that somebody is moving into the landing area/sector or runway.
26. Helpers and other competitors must stay well away from the throwing circle or the runway when a competitor is making a throw. They should also keep an eye on the thrower and the possible flight of the implement.
27. Competitors to remain in the throwing circle or the runway after the throw. They must never run after the implement.
Helpers must not enter the landing sector to pick up the implement until a signal is given. The implement must never be thrown back.
28. Landing areas for jumping events should be level surfaces without unnecessary objects nearby and with adequate cushioning when necessary.
Chapter EIGHT
GYMNASTICS AND TRAMPOLINING
(You are advised to study Chapter One thoroughly before reading this chapter)
I. Teacher Qualifications
Only teachers who have obtained Elementary Gold Award issued by the Gymnastics Association of Hong Kong, China or qualifications recognised by the Education Bureau can be appointed to teach trampolining.