Section 8: Safety Considerations
Inspect the surface before play and remove loose obstacles. Avoid slippery ground, holes, sharp debris, and areas where players could run into traffic or hard structures. Leave room beyond the end lines so reaching safety does not require an abrupt stop.
- Touch gently: Use a light, open-hand tag on the agreed areas. Never target the head, neck, chest, or groin.
- Stay upright: No diving, sliding tackles, wrestling, or jumping into other players.
- Keep paths open: Sharks may position themselves to attempt tags, but cannot link arms, form a physical barrier, or trap a player against a boundary.
- Watch the space: Look where you are going and slow down near crowds, safe zones, and players leaving after a tag.
- Stop for a fall: Anyone may call “Stop!” Players stop moving, give the fallen person space, and wait for the caller to restart play.
- Adjust intensity: Use walking, fewer players, or shorter rounds when the group needs a calmer pace.
- Take breaks: Allow rest and water breaks, and stop when conditions or fatigue make running unsafe.
Agree on inclusive movement and tagging arrangements before the round. For participants using mobility devices, define when the player has crossed an end line and choose a reachable body tagging area with their agreement. Never grab, push, or tag moving wheels or other device components.
This file covers play on land. Do not transfer its chasing and tagging procedures directly into water. A swimming version needs separate water-specific rules, appropriate supervision, and compliance with the pool's requirements; underwater restraint, dunking, and breath-holding contests must not be part of play.