It is important to take every precaution to prevent accidents from occuring during the watch of the strength and conditioning staff in order to protect the health and safety of the athlete: ie, proper use of spotters in the weight room; keeping the weight room free of clutter and debris; providing adequate hydration during conditioning; etc. Even when every possible precaution has been taken, however, accidents and emergencies will sometimes occur. Consequently, it is extremely important to have an emergency procedures plan in place to deal with these situations promptly and with maximum efficiency and effectiveness. Every member of the conditioning staff should be extremely familiar and comfortable with this emergency plan, and a copy should be posted in the strength training facility. An accident report should be completed immediately after the incident and should be kept on file. Below are provided sample forms which can be adapted to fit the needs of each individual institution.
