Section 8: Safety Considerations
Mandatory protective equipment: Batters, on-deck batters, and base runners must wear an approved batting helmet at all times while batting or running the bases (Rule 1.16); catchers must wear a helmet, mask, chest protector, and shin guards whenever receiving pitches, including warm-up throws (Rule 1.17). Umpires enforce these requirements and may warn or eject players who fail to comply.
Hit-by-pitch and collision rules: A batter hit by a pitch while making a reasonable attempt to avoid the ball is awarded first base (Rule 5.05); rules also govern home-plate and base-path collisions, restricting runners and catchers from initiating avoidable, forcible contact away from a legitimate attempt to reach or defend the base.
Pitcher and player workload: WBSC youth and age-division competitions apply pitch-count and mandatory-rest regulations to reduce overuse injury risk among developing pitchers, as specified in the applicable tournament's Special Playing Regulations.
Weather and field conditions: The umpire-in-chief has authority to suspend or postpone play for unsafe field conditions, inclement weather, or darkness, and to order removal of players or spectators who create a safety hazard.