Thanks for volunteering at the Manitoba Robot Games!
Below you’ll find a list of duties for security volunteers. While volunteering, please take a moment to watch a game or two, but always keep one eye out to ensure safety of all those in attendance.
Security duty involves watching the following areas:
Spectator Area
This is the main area including the sponsor displays, bleachers and the gym floor outside the roped off competition area.
- Do not allow any area to become congested with spectators or competitors. Invite them to take a seat in the bleachers.
- Prevent running or horsing around.
- Prevent jumping from row to row in the bleachers.
- Prevent kids from playing underneath the bleachers.
- Prevent people from climbing onto or jumping off of the sides of the bleachers.
- Do not allow anyone to stand at the ropes & obstruct the view from the bleachers.
- The area between the bleachers & the ropes is a traffic area & must be kept clear of obstructions (e.g. baggage, robots, people seated on the floor, etc.).
- Children may want to sit under the ropes, but doing so endangers them (may get stepped on, kicked, or struck by a robot) and endangers contestants, who may be tripped. Ask children siting on the floor under the ropes to move to the bleachers.
- Parents/custodians of competitors are allowed to squat for a short time at the ropes in order to take photos. Do not allow them to remain too long because others will soon join them. Parents taking photos may stand between the sets of bleachers or at the ends beside the bleachers for longer periods. Otherwise they must squat on the floor by the rope or sit in the bleachers.
- Competitors are advised to sit in the bleachers, but may not operate their robots in the bleachers as it can place people at risk of injury and damage to the robots. The best way to handle this is to tell the competitor that they are risking their robots since someone may step on them.
- Over all, please use your discretion. If it looks like it’s unsafe for anyone, intervene and stop the activity.
Competition Area
The competition area is the roped off area where the various competitions occur. Located at the south is the stage where announcements are made and prizes awarded.
- The only people allowed in the competition area are :
- competitors currently competing (wearing wristbands & only 1 per robot),
- volunteers wearing this year’s volunteer shirts (different colour every year),
- committee members, and
- those with special permission, such as the media.
- People are not allowed to step over or under the ropes. The opening at the end of the competition area near the pit area doors is to be used.
- The competitors should be seated near the ring they are or will be competing at, and not wandering around. The competitors may also choose to sit in any of the following locations:
- in the bleachers,
- in the designated “on deck” seating area for competitors inside the ropes, and
- for smaller children, around the ring that they are competing at.
- Periodically patrol the area for hazards including:
- unattended robots,
- open unattended bottles of liquid, and
- any other trip hazards.
Pit Area
- The pit area is located on the east side of the upper level of the gym. It is separated from the volunteer area by a partition. The pit area is where the competitors service their robots; as such there will be a variety of potentially dangerous tools located there. The pit area is generally a busy and somewhat cramped place.
One security person should be located at all times at the stairwell to the pit.
- Allow only competitors and coaches, and volunteers into the pit area. Competitors and coaches can be identified by their wrist bands, volunteers by their shirts.
- Prevent and remove all food and drinks from entering the pit’s area. (If challenged, explain that we don’t want any robots getting ruined due to spills).
- Prevent kids from jumping over the rails between the pits and the bleachers.
- Periodically patrol the pit area for various hazards including, but not limited to:
- unattended soldering irons,
- unsheathed knives,
- open bottles of liquid,
- trip hazards, and
- charging of lithium batteries is forbidden in the pit area. This must be done only in the charging area on the gym floor by the south east door.
- Watch for heat shimmer, smoke, sparks, etc.
- Powered cutting tools, grinders, torches, etc. are not permitted.
Volunteer Refreshment Area
The Volunteer Refreshment Area is located on the east end of the hallway, north of the gym.
- Only volunteers and interpreters are allowed in the volunteer area unescorted.
- Other special guests must be escorted by a committee member or will be introduced to you as being allowed (sponsors, exhibitors, media).