This policy covers the VEX V5 Robotics Competition only. For the safety policies of the other VEX Robotics Competition Programs, see the Safety Policy.
Why Safety Comes First
Safety comes before everything else in the VEX Robotics Competitions: before a Match, a score, or a win. A robot can be repaired and a Match replayed, but an injury cannot be taken back. Safety is everyone's job, students and adults alike, so look out for each other and speak up the moment something looks wrong.
This policy describes how the community keeps people safe, so everyone can keep building, competing, and learning. It works alongside two other sets of rules: the Code of Conduct, which sets the standards of behavior for everyone who takes part in the VEX Robotics Competitions, and the safety rules of your school, venue, and event. It does not replace either one.
Safety in the Lab or at School
Most of your team's time together is spent away from the competition Field, so a safe workspace is the first step to a safe Season.
- Keep your workspace clear. Put parts and tools away when you finish, and keep walkways open so no one trips.
- Clean up spills right away.
- Tie back long hair and tuck in loose clothing so nothing gets caught in a gear or moving part.
- Handle parts with care. Some parts have sharp corners or thin metal edges even before they are built into anything.
- Tell the Coach about a broken or damaged part so it can be fixed, replaced, or set aside.
Battery Safety
A robot battery stores a lot of energy in a small package. Treated well, it is safe; treated badly, it can overheat or start a fire.
- Charge batteries only with the VEX V5 Battery Charger.
- Keep the battery charging area clean and uncluttered, with no food or drinks nearby.
- Keep a charging battery where someone can see it, and unplug the charger when you are done.
- Never charge or use a battery that looks or feels wrong: puffy, cracked, hot, or damaged. Tell an adult right away.
- If a battery smokes, hisses, or gets very hot, move away and tell an adult immediately.
Tools and Fabrication
VEX V5 Robotics Competition teams cut, drill, and shape parts to build their robots.
- Learn how to use a tool safely before you pick it up. Ask a Mentor to show you if you are not sure.
- Wear eye protection whenever you or anyone near you cuts, drills, grinds, or hammers.
- File modified parts so no sharp edges are left behind. A fresh-cut edge can cut skin.
- Keep your fingers away from the blade, the bit, and the cutting line.
- Clamp down small parts instead of holding them by hand.
- Put tools away when you finish. A tool left out is a tool no one else can find.
Building a Safe Robot
Safety is part of a robot's design, not something added at the end.
- As you build, think about the people who will be near your robot: teammates, other teams, Referees, and you.
- Keep the power button and battery connection easy to reach. Build your robot so someone can turn it off or unplug the battery without lifting the robot or reaching past moving parts. That way, if something goes wrong, the robot can be stopped quickly and safely.
- Build a robot with no sharp edges. Robot Inspectors check for parts that could hurt someone. If you cut or shape a part, smooth it.
- Watch for pinch points. A pinch point is any place where two parts come together and could catch a finger, such as a gear, a moving arm, or a set of wheels. Keep fingers clear when the robot is on, and consider adding covers or guards.
- Hold the battery in place. Mount it so it stays put, even when the robot bumps into something.
When you work on your robot:
- Turn your robot off. Do not fix, adjust, or work on a robot while it is powered on.
- Let moving parts stop, and lower a raised arm, before you work near them.
- Let out stored energy first. A stretched rubber band can snap back, and a charged air tank can make a pneumatic part move suddenly. Release rubber bands and let the air out before you work near them.
- Tell your team when you are working on the robot so no one turns it on or drives it while your hands are on it.
When you drive your robot:
- Keep people back when the robot is running. Give it room, and never run it near someone who is not expecting it.
- Keep your robot under control. Build and program it to move the way you expect and stop when you tell it to. Test it in a safe, open space before you trust it near people, and never point a fast-moving part at anyone.
- Plan an emergency stop. Know how you will stop your robot before you run it. If you use autonomous code, consider programming one button on your controller to stop all movement, in case the robot does something unexpected.
Staying Safe at Events
An event is a busy, crowded, exciting place, with people and robots moving everywhere. Staying safe is mostly about paying attention to the people around you.
- Walk, do not run, through the Pits and Queuing Areas.
- Carry your robot with both hands and watch where you are going, especially in tight or crowded spaces. If it is heavy, ask a teammate to help.
- Keep walkways and doorways clear so everyone can get through.
- Follow the instructions of event staff. Referees, Judges, Robot Inspectors, and venue staff are there in part to keep everyone safe. When they ask you to do something for safety, do it, even if you do not know the reason yet.
Safety on the Competition Field
- Run your robot safely. Drive so you do not put people, other robots, or the Field in danger.
- Keep fingers clear when loading. When you load game objects into a robot during a Match, stay clear of its moving parts.
- Wear eye protection at the Field. Game objects and robot parts can fly out of the Field during a Match, so every Drive Team Member wears eye protection at the Field for every Match. Everyone on a team is encouraged to wear it near the Field and in the Pits.
- Stay off the Field. Do not step onto the Field during a Match. Some events allow Field access before and after Matches with the Head Referee's permission.
- Stand back from the Field wall. Leaning on or kneeling against the wall puts your face and body close to flying game objects. If the Head Referee asks you to step back, do it.
When Something Goes Wrong
Even when everyone is careful, things sometimes go wrong. What matters is what you do next.
- Stop what you are doing.
- Make it safe, if you can do that without putting yourself in danger.
- Tell an adult right away. At an event, tell the event staff too.
Speaking up when something is wrong is not about getting anyone in trouble. It is how the community keeps everyone safe, and it is exactly what a good teammate does. In a true emergency, such as a fire, a serious injury, or someone in danger, do not wait. Get the nearest adult. Anyone, including you, can call emergency services.
Be safe. Speak up. Have fun.