Facility and Equipment Safety Policy    

FACILITY AND EQUIPMENT SAFETY POLICY

North York Hearts Soccer Club
Effective Date: November 1, 2026

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide a safe, accessible, and well-maintained environment for all players (ages 4–44), coaches, match officials, staff, volunteers, and spectators.

All club-affiliated activities, across both recreational and competitive streams, must meet municipal, provincial, and Ontario Soccer safety standards.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

• Facilities: All outdoor natural grass/artificial turf fields, indoor turf centres, gymnasiums, domes, locker rooms, hallways, parking lots, and spectator viewing areas owned, leased, or utilized by the club.
• Programs: All recreational house league, development, competitive, and adult league practices, matches, tournaments, and camps.
• Equipment: All club-owned goals, nets, balls, training aids, and player personal gear.

3. Pre-Activity Facility Inspections

Prior to any session or match, the designated coach, field marshal, or match official must conduct a visual and physical inspection of the playing environment.

Outdoor Venues

• Playing Surface: Check for holes, ruts, uneven turf, exposed sprinkler heads, standing water, frost/ice, or loose turf seams.
• Debris & Hazards: Clear rocks, broken glass, litter, and animal waste.
• Spectator Boundaries: Ensure spectator/restraining lines are respected (minimum 1 metre / 3 feet from the touchline) and keep technical areas clear of bystanders.

Indoor Venues: Domes, Turf Centres & Gymnasiums

• Perimeter & Walls: Ensure rebound boards, padding on walls/pillars, and netting around the pitch are intact and securely fastened.
• Floors & Surface: Check gymnasium floors or indoor turf for moisture, spills, loose floorboards, or rolled mats.
• Exits & Airlocks: Keep emergency exits, fire extinguishers, and dome airlock/revolving doors completely unobstructed. Ensure dome inflation pressure and lighting appear normal before entering.

Action Rule: If an unsafe condition cannot be immediately corrected, the activity must be modified, moved, or cancelled.

4. Goalpost & Anchoring Safety (Garrett’s Legacy Act)

In compliance with Ontario’s Garrett’s Legacy Act, the club enforces strict controls on all soccer goals:

• Mandatory Anchoring: All permanent and portable goals (from small-sided U5 pop-up/metal goals to full-sized 11v11 goals) must be securely anchored, staked, or counterweighted with sandbags. Unanchored metal or rigid-frame goals must never be used.
• Indoor Floor Anchors: Indoor goals on hard floors or indoor turf must utilize non-slip weighted bases or floor-plate anchors.
• Storage & Access: When not in use, portable goals must be chained together, locked to a fence/structure, or stored in a restricted area to prevent unauthorized use.
• Zero-Tolerance Climbing: Players, siblings, and spectators of all ages are strictly prohibited from hanging on, climbing, or swinging from goalposts or crossbars.

5. Equipment & Personal Gear Standards

Equipment

• Age-Appropriate Equipment: Balls must match Ontario Soccer Long-Term Player Development (LTPD) sizing standards: Size 3 for U5–U8, Size 4 for U9–U12, and Size 5 for U13–Adult. Weighted or heavier balls are prohibited for youth players.
• Training Gear: Cones, flat markers, agility ladders, and mannequins must be free of cracks or sharp edges.

Mandatory Player Gear

• Shin Guards: Shin guards covered completely by socks are mandatory for all age groups during practices and games.
• Footwear: Footwear must match the surface (e.g., non-marking indoor flats for gyms, turf shoes/moulded cleats for turf; metal studs are strictly prohibited indoors and in youth/recreational play).

Jewellery & Eyewear

• Hard jewellery, watches, rings, earrings, and rigid hair clips are prohibited.
• Medical alert bracelets must be taped flat or covered with a sweatband.

Out-of-Service Protocol

Damaged balls, torn nets, or cracked equipment must be immediately removed from play and reported to senior management.

6. Environmental & Weather Safety

Lightning Safety

• At the first sound of thunder or sight of lightning outdoors, play stops immediately.
• All participants must evacuate to a sturdy, enclosed building or a hard-topped metal vehicle. Open-sided shelters and tents are unsafe.
• Play may only resume 30 minutes after the last thunderclap.

Heat, Cold & Air Quality

• The club follows Ontario Soccer and local municipal guidelines regarding humidex/heat alerts, air quality health index (AQHI) warnings, and cold-weather turf closures.

Indoor Facility Failures

• In the event of a power outage, emergency alarm, or sudden loss of air pressure in an inflated dome, coaches and facility staff will immediately halt play and escort participants out via the nearest marked emergency exit.

7. Supervision & Age-Specific Ratios

Youth: Ages 4–17

• No youth player may be left unsupervised at a facility before or after a session.
• Coaches must ensure two-deep adult supervision (Rule of Two) is maintained in change rooms, hallways, and secluded areas.

Adult: Ages 18+

• Team captains and match officials share responsibility for ensuring safe conduct, equipment compliance, and immediate reporting of facility hazards.

8. Incident & Hazard Reporting

Any injury, concussion-suspected incident, near-miss, or facility/equipment hazard must be:

• Logged on a Club Incident Report Form.
• Submitted to the Club Administrator within 24 hours.