R.M.H.A. COVID-19 Risk Management & Return To Play Plan
Prepared by Sylvie Saumur
Risk & Safety Director
risk.safety@rockland-nats.ca
*revised February 13th 2022*
*Note: This document is a work in progress and can & will be modified as deemed fit depending on local, provincial & federal rules & regulations in regards to COVID-19 & Emergency Management. For reference purposes, “We, we” indicates RMHA.
*Disclosure: In the absence of the Risk & Safety Director, the Association President & in his/her absence the Vice-President will act as the figure of authority in case of dispute or decision making in regards to limiting the spread of COVID-19 by ways of removing/suspending any activities (on or off-ice) or player(s)/Team Staff. Any decision(s) made by either is considered as official, final & binding and has full support of the Risk & Safety Director. There is always a risk of contracting or spreading the virus, regardless of the safety measures put in place by all.
This document is intended to inform anyone involved within the R.M.H.A (Rockland Minor Hockey Association), regardless of their role. Whether you are a parent, player, coach, trainer, manager, executive, referee, special guest, this plan applies to each & everyone. It is important to abide by the local, provincial and federal rules and regulations each time one enters the arena for an ice time or event. Failure to follow the said rules & regulations may result in fines or closure and termination of the hockey season. R.M.H.A will follow and apply all EOHU (Health Unit), HEO, D3, RMHA and CIHA rules and regulations or special requests when it comes in dealing with COVID-19. HEO’s and D3’s Return To Play Plan is an extensive, comprehensive operating procedure that covers all that we need to do as an Association to protect ourselves and prevent the spread of COVID-19. It is the Plan that I, as Risk & Safety Director will follow.
Team Safety Officer
Teams must have a designated Safety Officer (responsible for Screening and maintaining Participant Logs, and enforcement of all HEO and facility safety protocols).
• COVID Screening must occur before anyone may participate in any sanctioned event.
• Teams must maintain a participation log for all participants involved in a game, practice, or off-ice event.
• Logs must have the full name and contact information of each participant and must be retained for 30 days.
• Home team is responsible to log all participants (home & away) for games they host and ensure that screening was completed with the Visiting team.
. The Safety officer of home team will verify with the safety officer of the opposing team that everyone has done their screening and verified their proof of vaccination.
COVID-19 Screening Form
It is the parent’s or legal guardian’s responsibility to ensure that their child’s self-screening form is duly filled prior to the beginning of each ice time. Also, this form must be filled by anyone attending any session at CIH Arena but not limited to: Coaches, Bench Staff, Officials, Timekeepers, Special Guest/Instructor, spectators, Executive Members (HEO, D3, Local Associations). The form is valid 8 hrs prior to the ice time via Google Forms (avail. On RMHA website)
It is the Team Safety Officer’s responsibility to ensure that all members of their cohort/team have filled the form prior to entry into the arena. Failure to do so or any positive answer will result in a return home for that person. Out of respect for Team Safety Officer, players/team staff should arrive 30 min prior to the ice time and spectators, 15 minutes before the ice time. On-Ice Officials are responsible for their own screening and shall show proof of completion to the home team’s Trainer &/or Safety Officer to be recorded in their log.
One form per day, per person is acceptable. In cases where family members of the same address are attending as spectators, 1 form for that family is acceptable as long as all names are applied to the screening form. In cases where the other spectators do not reside at the same address as the player, these spectators must fill a separate form.
RMHA Google COVID FORM Link:
https://bit.ly/2021RocklandNatsCOVIDScreening
COVID-19 Vaccination Proof - CIH Procedure & HEO Policy (under provincial mandate)
| Setting / Activity |
Proof of Vaccination |
| Spectator Youth (12-) |
Not Required |
| Spectator Youth (12+) |
Required |
| Spectator Adult (18+) |
Required |
| Player Youth (12-) |
Not Required |
| Player Youth (12+) |
Required |
| Coaches, Volunteers and Officials |
Required |
| Verification - Players |
By Team Safety Officer |
| Verification - Spectators / Parents |
By Team Safety Officer |
*unless patron qualifies for an exemption
Procedures: It will be each association’s responsibility to verify the proof of vaccination for each rental. We require associations to designate 1 volunteer at each rental. This volunteer can be a parent volunteer.
This volunteer will need to arrive 30 minutes before the rental time and position himself/herself at a specific location in the lobby. The volunteer will verify everyone entering the arena has completed their Covid screening (players, coaching staff, officials and volunteers) and spectators (parents, family, siblings and others) and will proceed with the verification of proof of vaccination before letting anyone inside the rink .
**IMPORTANT** There will be zero-tolerance for violence, verbal and physical abuse on Safety Officers and Covid-19 Screeners.
HEO VACCINATION POLICY & EXEMPTION:
For any questions, inquiries or exemption forms, please visit HEO's website at:
http://www.hockeyeasternontario.ca/pages/extras/rth.htm
Equipment Sharing - Goalie Equipment, U7-8-9 Levels (IP & Novice)
To stop the spread of such a virus, equipment sharing will only be permitted in the following two scenarios:
- A designated player will be chosen as the goalie for the entirety of the season and will use either their own equipment or will be using the association’s.
- Goalie equipment will be permitted to be shared between two players as long as the head coach takes the responsibility of sanitizing all equipment between any hockey activities.
Masks, Face Shields, Face Covering
EOHU, HEO & D3 rules apply. Although face shields are not mandatory, they are recommended as added protection. Players are encouraged to have a face shield instead of the traditional cage but it is not mandatory. Trainers will have a box of masks but only to be used in case of emergency or if the player’s helmet must be removed on the ice for patient assessment. It is everyone’s responsibility to supply their own face covering. Trainers must wear their face covering at all times during the ice time. All bench staff (coaches, trainers, assistant coaches, etc.) are expected to wear a mask while exercising their bench duties during a game, whether at home, away or in a tournament. During practice, if the coaches (head or assistants) are actively engaged, they are not required to wear a mask unless they cannot observe safe distancing measures.
If a player enters the arena with their helmet fully buckled, they are not required to wear a mask but must exit wearing their helmet fully buckled.
Movement throughout CIH & Dressing Room Decorum
Cohort/Team Safety Officer will be at the main entrance prior to the parents and players’ entry into the arena. The Safety Officer is responsible to ensure all players, staff and parents from their cohort/team has filled the form, wears a mask covering their mouth & nose and washed their hands using the designated hand sanitizer (either supplied by CIH or RMHA). Once the team has checked in, the Trainer can relocate to the dressing room for supervision, to the bench or at the parents’ check in door. Everyone (parents, players, staff, etc) enters and leaves from the main entrance at CIH located on the West side of the building.
Parents from U8 to U18 are not allowed to attend the dressing room.
Parents can't not wait dressing room hallways.
It is to be noted that all CIH rules & Return to Play concerning movement through the facility, including the RMHA Office/Equipment Room but not limited to entry, exit and dressing room decorum must be followed by all and at all times. Teams can access their respective room(s) only 30 mins prior to their ice time. Team can only come in once the Safety Officer has arrived and checked their screening and once 2 Bench Staff have arrived.
No staggering entry or exit. Teams can access their respective room(s) only 30 mins prior to their ice time. It is recommended that players arrive dressed and ready to go, especially at the lower levels. This is also applicable to any player having difficulty or needs assistance in getting dressed. The goalie’s parent/guardian is allowed in to assist him/her in dressing up but shall exit upon completion of the task and relocate to the designated parent/guardian entrance.
Once the ice time is complete, players shall return to their dressing room and wait until everyone is ready to leave.
If an Executive member must attend our office, they must fill CIH’s Covid Screening Form and fill any other documents required on site.
DURING THE ACTIVITY:
●
DO NOT spit
●
DO NOT blow your nose without a tissue or paper towel
●
DO NOT remove any equipment – full equipment (including player gloves) must be worn at all
times.
●
DO NOT touch any equipment (ex. Cones) unless instructed to do so by a coach/instructor
●
DO label water bottles clearly with the participant’s name, and leave the water bottle in the
designated area.
Medical Supplies & COVID Kits
Each team/cohort will be issued a first aid kit, box of medical gloves, wipes, spare hand sanitizer and a box of surgical masks. The surgical masks are to be used in case of emergency if a child has forgotten theirs at home but not to be handed on a daily basis or if a helmet must be removed for player assessment.
Any missing, damaged, expired or low supply of medical equipment shall be reported to the Risk & Safety Director by email at
risk.safety@rockland-nats.ca. Supply will be provided by various stores wherever the material is available while trying to keep the costs to a minimal.
These kits shall be returned to the Association upon completion of the season for proper inventory and stocking.
Near Miss, Possible Case, Return to Play
As mentioned earlier, The Return to Play Plan presented by District & HEO will be enforced when it comes to removing a player from the ice exhibiting any signs &/or symptoms related to COVID. Page 3, section 4 of D3 Return To Play is the main reference for such an incident. Any player exhibiting signs or symptoms are considered
Positive and denied entry until a medical note or negative test result is provided AND the player/staff has had no symptoms for at least 24 hours.
If a player, cohort/team staff member, RMHA Executive has tested positive to Covid-19, he/she shall self-isolate for a minimum of 5 days and shall not return to any hockey activities until the 5 days is over AND he/she is symptoms free for at least 24 hours.
If a family member of any player, staff member and/or Executive member tests positive to Covid-19, we ask that any of those family members taking part in any RMHA activities shall stay home and isolate for 5 days. Note that the 5 days self isolating period will restart every time a new positive test is obtained in the same family, for the whole family.
If a player or staff member tests positive, the rest of the team will not have to isolate. This is unless the association risk&safety officer or district risk&safety officer decides otherwise.
Once a player or staff member tests positive, they should notify the team manager as soon as possible. The manager will then notify the association risk&safety officer and will keep the name of the affected player/staff member confidential to all other parents/players of their team. The safety officer will be communicating with the district risk&safety officer to get more guidance and will then notify the
Pre-existing conditions or other known causes not related to COVID-19 require a medical note to clear the player for their return to ice. A copy of the note must be forwarded to the team/cohort trainer and Risk & Safety Director for proper reference in case of investigations by Public Health, District or HEO before the player can return to the ice. A copy can be kept in the player’s bag for future reference if required.
If the result is “
NEGATIVE”: person must be 24hrs symptoms free before going back on the ice. Symptoms include the following but not limited to:
- fever or chills (temperature higher than 37.8℃ or 100℉)
- cough or barking cough (croup)(continuous, more than usual, making a whistling noise when breathing, not related to other known causes or conditions (for example, asthma, post-infectious reactive airways)
• shortness of breath (not related to other known causes or conditions, ex: asthma)
• decrease or loss of taste or smell (Not related to other known causes or conditions (for example, allergies, neurological disorders)
• nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea (not related to IBS, anxiety, menstrual cramps, or other known causes or conditions)
- muscle ache, joint pain
- extreme tiredness
- sore throat
- running nose, stuffy and/or congested
Regardless of the results, anyone having undergone testing, must follow all EOHU & MOH rules and regulations in regards to COVID-19, self-monitoring, self-isolation, isolation/quarantine. The concerned person must immediately notify RMHA Risk & Safety.
Before returning to on-ice activities following a failed screening, near miss or testing (positive or negative), the parent or guardian of the said player must fill HEO’s
Player Return to Hockey Attestation form. This form can be obtained through the Risk & Safety Director or the team/cohort coaching staff. After duly filled, the parent is to remit the said form to the coaching staff & a copy forwarded to the Risk & Safety Director. This form was created by HEO in hopes to alleviate the potential increased burden on our Public Health Units and Medical Practitioners who are already stretched to their maximum capacities due to the situation at hand. This form or a medical note are the only acceptable documents for a safe return to play.
Try-Outs, Sort-Outs & Pre-Season/Training/Conditioning Camps
All of the above rules, regulations and recommendations
shall apply to all try-outs and/or sort-outs. It is to be noted that during each session, a designated Trainer/Safety Officer must be present to ensure the Screening Forms or Logs have been duly filled and that facility safety protocols are being obeyed and followed by all. If On-Ice Officials are used during these processes, they shall do their own screening & show completion of such to the Home Trainer &/or Safety Officer to be recorded in their logs.
Spectator Protocol & Building Capacity
There is a 50% limit capacity in the CIH arena
.
ALL spectators must be properly screened, the COVID Form filled (one form per person per ice time ) and proof of double vaccination provided.
BEFORE ENTERING THE FACILITY
● Any participant, coach, spectator, or staff member may NOT enter the facility if:
○ They are displaying any COVID-19 symptoms
○ They are returning from another country and have not been cleared
○ If a household member meets the criteria above
○ Or, they are in close-contact to a positive case
∙ Anyone who wishes to enter the building must be screened. It is the association/contract holder’s responsibility to screen anyone associated with their ice rental and keep a full log.
∙ If a spectator is feeling unwell, for everyone’s safety, they shall not attend
∙ Spectators will not be permitted in the dressing rooms area.
ENTERING THE FACILITY
∙ Physical distancing must be maintained at all times
∙ A mask or face covering
shall be worn inside the arena at all times
∙ Spectators will be allowed in 15 minutes prior to the schedule on-ice event and once screened by Safety Officer
∙ Show proof of double vaccination with the valid QR code. Paper copies are no longer accepted.
DURING THE ACTIVITY
●
DO remain in designated viewing area to watch activity, while maintaining physical distancing at all times
●
DO keep your mask on AT ALL TIMES in the facility
●
DO remain courteous and respectful of others at all times
●
No drinking or eating will be permitted in the stands
RMHA’s Responsibilities
Designate a volunteer attendant to welcome spectators at the door and oversee the spectator protocol during the event (can be the team/cohort Trainer). This person will:
○ Ensure to screen and keep a log of every spectator that attend their event (during a game, all spectators - even from the opponent team - must be screened by their own team prior to event)
○ Screen spectator, bench staff and players.
Ensure everyone is wearing their mask and respecting safety protocol
If a player or team staff member is tested positive to Covid-19, the association will send an email to the respective team to notify them.
If a positive case has been identified while in phase 3B or 4, all participants and opposing team (including their respective executive) will be notified by the Risk & Safety Director and proper protocol followed.
Links
http://rockland-nats.ca/
http://district3hockey.com/index.php
http://www.hockeyeasternontario.ca/
https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/home
https://eohu.ca/en
https://bit.ly/2021RocklandNatsCOVIDScreening (RMHA COVID FORM)
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