Safety Code

The ECLL Safety Code has been adopted by the Board of Directors and is enforced by the Safety Officer, and the League's Vice President.  All league officers, participants, and volunteers are required to abide by this code.

It is the job of the Safety Officer to make any revisions to the Safety Code from year to year, as necessary.

• Responsibility for Safety procedures should be that of an adult member of Essex County Little League
• Arrangements should be made in advance of all games and practices for emergency medical services.
• Managers, coaches and umpires should have training in first aid. First‑aid kits are issued to each team manager and kept in equipment bag  at all times.
• No games or practices should be held when weather or field conditions are not good, particularly when lightning is inadequate.  If lightning is seen, all players, coaches and managers must leave the complex and return to their vehicles for 30 minutes since the last visual lightning strike was seen.
• Before every use, home coaches/umpires are required to walk fields for hazards such as holes, damage, stones, glass, and other foreign objects.
• All team equipment should be stored within the team dugout, or behind screens, and not within the area defined by the umpires as "in play."
• Only players, managers, coaches, and umpires are permitted on the playing field or in the dugout during games and practice sessions
• Responsibility for keeping bats and loose equipment off the field of play should be that of a player assigned for this purpose or the team's manager and coaches.
• Procedure should be established for retrieving foul balls batted out of playing area.
• During practice and games, all players should be alert and watching the batter on each pitch.
• During warm‑up drills players should be spaced so that no one is endangered by wild throws or missed catches.
• The batting donut is not permitted.
• “The On-Deck position” is not allowed.
• During a game, players are not allowed to hold a bat or take practice swings until the umpire calls them to bat.  Once called they can pick up their bat and take a few swings on their way and at home plate.   
• Equipment will be inspected by coaches/umpires before each use for the condition of the equipment as well as for proper fit.
  
• Batting helmets must remain on player until he/she returns to the dugout.
• Catcher must wear catcher's helmet, mask, dangling throat guard, long model chest protector, shin guards, and protective cup with athletic supporter at all times (males) for all practices and games, including during warmup.  NO EXCEPTIONS.
• The Catcher must wear catcher's helmet and mask with a throat guard in warming up pitchers.  This applies between innings in the bull‑pen during a game and also during practices.  NO EXCEPTIONS.
• All pre‑game warm‑ups should be performed within the confines of the playing field and not within areas that are frequented by, and thus, endangering spectators (i.e., playing catch, pepper, swinging bats, etc.)
• Managers should encourage all male players to wear protective cups for practices and games.
• Except when runner is returning to a base, head first slides are not permitted.
• During sliding practice, bases should be disengaged from their anchors.
• At no time should "horse play" be permitted on the playing field
• Parents of players who wear glasses should be encouraged to provide "safety glasses"
• Players cannot wear watches, rings, pins or metallic items during games and practices.
• Softball division’s infielders MUST wear mask. NO EXCEPTIONS.