SafetyRisk Management and the Inclusion of Swimmers with英文资料.pdfVIP

Safety/Risk Management and the Inclusion of Swimmers with Disabilities The mission of the Disability Swimming Committee is the full inclusion of swimmers with a disability in USA Swimming programs Many people fear that the inclusion of swimmers with disabilities in USA Swimming programs increases exposure to safety risks. In fact, the prevalence and rate of injuries suffered by swimmers with disabilities are not completely understood. Available insurance data are flawed because, in some cases, injured persons who have disabilities do not self-identify their disability status. Available research data (Ferrara Peterson, 2000) are difficult to interpret because findings often represent multiple sports and varying levels of competition. Anecdotal observations from the former USA Swimming Disability Championships have indicated few injuries, all of which were minor (e.g., soft tissue injuries associated with slip-and-fall accidents on the pool deck or from collisions with the lane lines in the pool). Nonetheless, competitive swimming is generally regarded as a low-risk sport for persons with disabilities (Ferrara Peterson, 2000). The purpose of this article is to describe known health and safety concerns associated with inclusion in competitive swimming, as well as practical ways of minimizing those risks. Although some accidents and injuries are inevitable, just as they are for swimmers who do not have disabilities, the goal should always be to reduce injury risk as much as possible. ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) should be the goal of any effort to reduce health and safety risks Risk Analysis This section includes a risk analysis of facilities used for competitive swimming, the personnel (including coaches) who work at those facilities, and the persons with disabilities who par