Safety has always been a cornerstone of the FIRST Robotics Competition experience. With the arrival of the pandemic, our understanding of what it means to be safe within our program needs to expand.
For years in our safety manual, which is located on our Safety page, we have asked teams to develop a safety program, to include a safety plan for events. We now ask that teams develop safety plans for COVID-19. Please see the COVID-19 planning guidance for teams here. You will notice the first element of the document is ‘Follow Local Guidance.’ This is very important. The plans you create should use local guidance as the starting point then build from there to customize your plans for the needs of your specific school or organization and individual team members.
The safety manual for the 2021 season is currently being revised. The guidance we are publishing today will be incorporated there. Also, soon we will be publishing some tips to help you work effectively as a team even if your ability to meet in person is limited because of the pandemic.
Stay healthy and safe!
Frank