Take precautions when planning STEAM-related events
Key takeaways:
- For any special school event, it’s essential to have parents or guardians sign permission slips, approved by the school’s attorney.
- Cardboard boat races (such as those for physics students) are much safer if they take place in an indoor pool, rather than an outdoor body of water.
- If students are participating in a water-based classroom activity, there should always be a lifeguard present.
As schools focus on more science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM)-related curricula, they may want to offer a number of different hands-on activities. CM Regent’s risk control team recently addressed two specific types of events that schools were planning. The following are some of the recommended strategies, which can be applied to any school interested in hosting similar experiences.
ATV geomapping
One school wanted to purchase an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) kit, build the vehicle and then drive it around a local trail system to perform geomapping with mounted cameras. High school students would be driving the ATV, which would present a heightened level of risk.
Before allowing students to drive an ATV, schools should keep the following risk control tips in mind:
- Consult federal, state or local laws and regulations on ATV use.
- Provide fire extinguishing equipment that is rated for fires involving electrical equipment and batteries.
- Require each student to produce a signed permission slip, approved by the school’s solicitor, from their parent or guardian. Parents should receive detailed information about the activity before they are asked to sign the form.
- Communicate openly with the trail system’s owner about best practices for using the system safely.
Water regatta
In another situation, a school planned to host a cardboard boat water regatta. During the event, students would race two-person, student-built cardboard boats in a shallow, roped-off area of a local cove.
Ultimately, CM Regent risk control team members recommended that the school use its indoor swimming pool for the event, rather than an open-water area. The swimming pool is a controlled environment in which temperature, wind current and precipitation wouldn’t be a problem. Additionally, students would not be exposed to bacteria from the open water, and life-saving equipment would already be located along the perimeter of the swimming pool.
However, if a school does attempt a similar event in open water, it should take the following steps:
- Ask parents or guardians to sign a permission slip that is approved by the school’s solicitor. The permission slip should detail the event’s potential risks and the controls in place.
- Supply a lifeguard (either employed by the school or a contractor) to be present. This individual should evaluate the temperature, water conditions and wind speed on the day of the event to determine whether it should proceed as planned or not.
- Require all student participants to wear a fully buckled U.S. Coast Guard-approved life vest before entering the water. All life vests should fit students snugly; no student should be permitted to enter the water if their life vest is too small or large. The fit of the life vests should be tested and confirmed before leaving for the event.
- Request an ambulance and Emergency Medical Services personnel be present on shore during the event.
- Caution all students and parents about the dangers inherent in open water exposure. Unknown microorganisms, bacteria and parasites could enter a student’s body through open wounds or if they swallow water. Students with a weakened immune system could be at risk for disease, and students could encounter dangerous aquatic animals.
- Obtain all necessary life rescue equipment and supplies, placing them in an easily accessible location.
- Prohibit waders, which could fill with water and weigh the person down, interfering with rescue.
- Inform all student participants of the rules and expectations. These include:
- Alerting the lifeguard if they are in distress.
- Stopping immediately if they hear the whistle blown.
- Not interfering with rescue crews that are attending to another student.
There are many wonderful opportunities for students to learn through special STEAM projects. When planning the events, schools should take the time to anticipate any potential exposures and minimize them as much as possible.
Check out these articles for more risk management tips to help keep your students safe.
How to minimize exposures in STEAM-related school activities
Q: Why do STEAM-related activities like ATV geomapping require special safety planning?
A: Because they involve higher-risk equipment and environments, schools must follow laws, communicate with property owners, and ensure students and parents understand the risks.
Q: What safety steps should schools take if students will be driving an ATV?
A: Check all applicable regulations, provide proper fire-safety equipment, require detailed parent permission slips, and coordinate with the trail system owner.
Q: Why should a school-sponsored cardboard boat regatta use an indoor pool, rather than an outdoor body of water?
A: A pool offers controlled conditions—no wind, currents or weather—and eliminates exposure to bacteria and other open-water hazards. It also already has lifesaving equipment on hand.
Q: If a school still chooses to hold a regatta in open water, what precautions are essential?
A: Signed permission slips, a lifeguard evaluating conditions, Coast Guard-approved life vests, EMS on-site, proper rescue equipment, warnings about waterborne risks, and clear rules for student behavior.
