The Olympia Dragon Boat Club strives to conduct safe practices and races. This Safety Guide outlines ODB’s standards of safe operations.

SAFETY POLICIES

1.  ODB safety policies, as defined in this document, apply to all members, and all members must be willing to work within them.
2. No one individual can override or add to the safety rules, regardless of role in the boat. Items 5 and 6 may be an exception. This safety guide may be revised as standards change. 3. Any one individual not willing to meet the requirements as outlined in this guide will not be allowed on the boat.
3. Any one individual wishing to impose more, or greater, requirements, may not do so; they have the right to not get on the boat.
4. Anything not stipulated in the safety policies, is not required, except for regulations of governing bodies who have authority over the locations where we train, including on the water and on land. The specific regulation and governing authority must be identified.

 

WAIVERS

Every person must sign/accept/submit a waiver before entering the boat for the first time. Club members must sign/accept new waivers each year as a requirement of membership. All guest dragon boaters must submit a waiver.

 

 ATTIRE

Everyone getting on the water is expected to have properly fitted clothing and footwear appropriate for the current weather conditions. The steersperson, coach or session/workout lead has the authority to prevent someone from boarding the boat if they determine that person’s clothing is not safe or adequate for the conditions. 

 

CREW PREPAREDNESS

 Each paddler is responsible for their own safety and preparedness, including: 

• Arriving to the session with sufficient time for last minute adjustments and warm-up 
• Being aware of and tending to hydration needs 
• Being fueled with the right nutrition for conditions and energy output
• Being aware of the surroundings and weather conditions 
• Crew members are encouraged to privately make aware to the coach, safety lead, session lead or steersperson any limitation of paddling, and/or, any major medical issue, including minor injury, that may affect their ability to participate fully in the practice. This information may affect benching assignment and self-rescue in the event of an incident.
• Being quiet when the coach, safety lead, session lead or steersperson is giving commands, during active training and especially during emergency situations 
• A crew member may be prevented from boarding, or, requested to leave the boat if they exhibit disruptive behavior or appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol

 

PFDs (Personal Flotation Devices) 

The US Coast Guard requires everyone on a boat, 19’ or greater in length, to have a PFD available in the boat. ODB club requires that every crew member wear a PFD while on our boats, under normal operations. Exceptions for brief periods may be allowed.

PFDs must also be worn when on a boat even when tied up to the dock, or partially on shore, including when performing maintenance such as cleaning or repairs. It is advisable to wear one when walking on the dock, especially during rough conditions, but is not required. 

Acceptable PFDs 

• Foam PFDs are accepted providing they are either USCG (US Coast Guard) Type III or Transport Canada (TC) approved.
• Waist/belt inflatables not permitted – in the event a person becomes incapacitated because of an incident, a waist inflatable will be of limited benefit. In addition, many belt inflatables are designed to be worn in front, but typically paddlers do not.

 

CANCELLATION OF TRAINING SESSIONS 

• Lightning – On water training will be cancelled if lightning is occurring within one hour before the practice, or, anytime during the practice. Additionally, if thunder is heard during the session, boats are to return to the dock. On water training may resume if there is no thunder or lightning for a period of 30 minutes.
•  Temperatures – Very cold or extremely hot temperatures may result in a practice being cancelled. During extremely hot temperatures, there is a risk of dehydration and over-heating. During very cold weather, factors include the risk of hypothermia, very cold extremities, and a slippery dock due to frost or ice. There may be local requirements relating to temperatures that will need to be followed as well.
•  High Winds – Cancellation of an on-water training session due to high winds must be assessed considering the crew, location, and steersperson expertise. In addition to average wind speed, wind direction and forecast wind gusts will need to be considered.
•  Air Quality – Cancellation of an on-water training session when the predicted air quality for our training location meets the threshold for being unsafe. Generally, poor air quality is caused by smoke from wildfires.
• Insufficient Number of Participants – at the discretion of the helm/steersperson, and with regard to prevailing weather conditions, the decision may be made to cancel practice if too few paddlers are signed up to ensure safe operations.

 

DOCK POLICY

• When we are still on the dock, we need to be mindful of other boaters, and pedestrians walking down the dock.
• Please keep your equipment and personal items near the edge of the docks to avoid tripping hazards.
• When we paddle in the evenings it is encouraged to have a headlamp or other light with you for safely maneuvering on the dock.

LOADING THE BOAT 

Dragon boat Paddlers are loaded into the boat in the safest and most practical way under the direction of the steersperson and/or lead/coach. For paddlers who have a bench mate, once they are in the boat, it is preferred they sit in the middle of the bench to aid in keeping the boat balanced and slide over as their bench mate loads. Once all paddlers are loaded, the steersperson will check for balance. 

Before departing the dock, the steersperson or coach will review the safety procedures while on the water.

 

ON THE WATER

The steersperson is in command while departing from and returning to the dock/shore. The command will be transferred to the coach or lead, during the session once the boat is clear of the docking area or marina.

 Everyone on board must promptly obey the voice commands of the steersperson, coach, and/or lead. 

 

SWITCHING SIDES

This may be performed while the boat is stopped or while paddling is occurring. In both scenarios, the paddler seated on the right side of the bench slowly stands keeping their center of gravity low, i.e., does not stand upright, and moves in front of the left paddler, as the left paddler scoots across the bench to the right. Ideally, the two cross over when both are in the center, otherwise the boat will tilt to one side creating a safety hazard. 

Move bodies first, then items such as water bottles and seat pads. If switching sides occurs while stationary, moving items and making personal adjustments should be left until the “let it run” command to release bracing has been issued. When the boat is in motion and paddling is still in progress, items can be moved once the paddlers on that bench are on their new side. This should be done quickly so the next bench can switch. When paddlers have no bench mate, they will move when directed by the steersperson. They may be the last to switch sides or may be directed to move over partway to keep the boat appropriately balanced.

RETURNING TO THE DOCK

• Everyone on the boat must be quiet when returning to the dock to be able to hear commands clearly and be able to immediately respond.
• The boat must be brought to a complete stop to minimize risk to those getting off to tie up.
• The first two people to disembark must be extremely mindful of the boat movement and rope position and should be visually aware of what each other is doing. The steersperson may designate specific individuals to disembark first to tie up the boat. Ideally, the designation of those individuals is done before returning to the dock, and perhaps even when leaving the dock.

 

UNLOADING

Unloading should be done from the middle of the boat, then forward and back, bench by bench. As a paddler’s bench mate disembarks, the remaining paddler should move to the middle to help with boat balance.

Remove all personal items and water bottles from the boat as you disembark. Do not “toss” items onto the dock before exiting the boat. This causes a tripping hazard. Keep your equipment with you until you are exiting the boat.

If your bench area has excess water, use a sponge or bailer. Be courteous, and always safety conscious, and assist paddlers off the boat as needed. When you assist paddlers be sure to use a wrist-to-wrist grasp for safety.

 

MINIMUM NUMBERS REQUIRED

The following minimums apply for training sessions:

• Large boat – 10 people, which may be any combination of steers, paddler, lead/coach
• Small boat – 5 people, which may be any combination of steers, paddler, lead/coach.

 There may be exceptions when fewer people on the boat are acceptable, such as moving boats.

ODB classifies ‘child guests’ as those under age 13 years. They must be accompanied by a dedicated adult supervisor.

Child guests are allowed on the boat as follows:

• Maximum of 4 on a standard dragon boat and they are not allowed on a small dragon boat

 

CAPSIZING/SWAMPING

Paddling through a big wake, rather than stopping paddling, is safer, because a moving boat sits higher in the water, and the steersperson has more control.

 In the case of swamping, some crew members may be asked to stop paddling and bail, while being cognizant of how their body position impacts the balance of the boat. In the event of a capsize, follow the guidelines for the capsize drill. Always STAY WITH THE BOAT. 

 

BOATING INCIDENTS 

Staying calm and being prepared for emergencies will efficiently and effectively relieve the burden of a stressful situation. In the event of an incident, remain quiet when being given direction.

• Steering oar, or housing, breaks – the steersperson will immediately call “hold the boat” and get the steering oar into the boat. The steersperson will issue directions to the paddlers. A steersperson may also use the spare paddle to steer the boat as needed from a sitting position. 
• Crew member falls out of the boat – the steersperson will immediately call to ‘hold the boat’ and issue directions to get the boat to the overboard crew member and then instruct the crew members to brace the boat throughout the rescue. A designated paddler will assist the swimmer in getting back in the boat.
• Collision – stay calm and check your bench mate for injuries. Raise your hand to alert the steersperson, safety lead and coach of any medical issues. Advise the steersperson, backup safety lead, and workout lead of damage to the boat. Listen carefully to the steersperson for special instructions. Every collision is unique and will be handled by the steersperson, and backup safety lead. 
• Medical emergency – the coach, steersperson, backup safety lead and anyone on board with medical expertise, will work together to determine the specific actions needed. Generally, the goal is to paddle to the nearest dock or emergency egress. While underway, a designated person will phone 911 and tell the operator the egress location and where the patient will be waiting. The crew is reminded to give space to a medical emergency and remain calm and quiet.

 All incidents shall be reported to the board, in writing, within 24 hours, by the coach, steersperson, safety backup and/or session lead. It is advised that every incident then be reported to our insurance company, otherwise there is potential for any subsequent claims to be rejected.

 The report shall include: 

• Crew member names, also identifying the steers, backup safety lead, coach.
• Date and time
• Weather conditions
• Any actions in self-rescue 
• Any injuries
• Any involvement with other boaters, docks, other property
• Cause of incident if ascertainable
• Witness contact information if applicable