Rink guard no touch / help policy - unusual?

[Query]

Suppose a rink had a policy that rink guards not touch customers, not even to help someone get up. (That might also mean, not to break up a fight either.)

Would such a policy be unusual?

[twinskaters]

That sure seems unusual. It's not that way at the rink I skate at.

[Bill_S]

Sounds like a rink run by lawyers. Rules supersede common sense.

[AgnesNitt]

Suppose a rink had a policy that rink guards not touch customers, not even to help someone get up. (That might also mean, not to break up a fight either.)

Would such a policy be unusual?

Is this a real rink with this policy, or are you just trolling?

[sarahspins]

Would such a policy be unusual?

I would think so, but it would also depend entirely on the context.  At my rink ALL employees have background checks because working around skaters involves a fair amount of contact with the general public, whether that is on-ice assistance or even just help tying skates before they get on the ice.  So I'd consider this a non-issue.  Any employee of the rink is allowed to step in to assist someone if neededd, however, only those actually certified in first aid are supposed to offer any medical assistance (including getting someone a bandaid if needed, which also includes completing an incident report), however, we all carry gloves just in case we need them, and I've had to use mine twice (both times very minor, but the gloves are to protect ME, not the person who is injured, and I only needed them to get the skaters off the ice). 

[Query]

It's a real rink. Perhaps they have trained medical personnel who are allowed to touch.

I didn't mean to start a discussion about whether the policy is advisable. Just wondering whether other rinks do it.

[pegasus99]

That's really weird... Speaking as a Rink Guard, you just plain have to touch people. Reaching down to help someone up is just human nature. I've even held sobbing little kids on my lap on the ice.

Totes a rink run by lawyers. Sheesh.

[Isk8NYC]

I suspect that Query is mistaken in that the policy has nothing to do with assisting fallen skaters, but more to do with not providing free learn-to-skate assistance.  There are (uninformed) parents/grandparents that don't skate, but bring their kids to public sessions expecting that the rink guards and coaches are there to provide free assistance/instruction as part of the admission fee.  They'll ask the guard to hold the child's hand (or support their weight) until they get up to speed and they send the kids out to copy/interrupt private lessons thinking it's a free service. 

Most don't get offended if you explain that they are mistaken.  Some do, which might explain this policy that Query saw printed -- whenever there are lots and lots of signs, that's usually a signal that the rink is short-staffed and the customer service is limited.

As a side note, I've seen recommendations that say only trained first-aid staff should MOVE injured skaters if the skater is unable to get up on their own.  Most rinks do not specify first-aid certification in their skate guard requirements so in that case, they'd leave the skater on the ice until a qualified first aid responder is on the scene.  It would be a legal liability to the rink for not having certified their rink guards, although common sense says that the Good Samaritan law should apply to protect the rink guard against malpractice suits.  Perhaps this rink is responding to it, but again, it's iffy customer service that goes beyond "Skate At Your Own Risk."

[pegasus99]

I think you're right, Isk8NYC. I get a lot of, "Can you show her how to skate?" "Can you help him?" requests from parents at the boards. LOL, what do you want from me?? **hit them with a blade guard**poof** "Your kid can skate now!!"

The only time I ever actively held up kids was during a private party I was asked to work at. It was me and the Private Coach of the birthday girls holding up wobbly toddlers while their parents fussed at them, we were rolling our eyes all afternoon. My back was killing me after that.

The only skating tips I offer are how to stop and how to get up. I know I am first aid trained, (and it has come in handy! I had an EMT compliment a butterfly job I did on an facial laceration) but I don't know about the other guards. I thoroughly believe it should be a requirement to be a skate guard.

[Neverdull44]

 Here are some article on it.


http://www.alllaw.com/articles/nolo/personal-injury/ice-skating-accident-claim-liability.html


http://www.skateisi.com/site/sub.cfm?content=archive_Medical%20Emergencies


If I were a rink guard, which I am not, I'd tell the parents, "I am here to help injured skaters and to monitor the ice.    My boss does not allow me to give anyone a skating lesson.  But, the rink has affordable group lessons with certified coaches if you want individualized instruction.  Or, there are walkers available at the front desk you can get for your child today."

[Query]

I do tend to take things literally. 

I applied for a part-time job as a rink guard, and asked the supervisor whether a guard should immediately pull fallen skaters to their feet, or whether to assess the skater for injuries first, and was told there was a strict no-touch policy. In that context, perhaps the supervisor presumed a suspicion of injury.

If I get the job, I will ask for clarification.

Another possibility is that the rink belongs to sports organizations that require organizational no-touch policies.

[pegasus99]

For my "career" as a guard, there's levels of "Do I help this person?"

Crying young child in rental skates: Yes, do help.
Crying older child in rental skates: Go over, ask if okay, offer hand.
Crying child under 5 in figure skates: Go over, ask if okay, offer hand. Child may refuse.
Crying child in hockey skates: Look for crazed hockey dad either in stands or on ice. Go over, ask if okay, offer hand. Child may take it but if crazed hockey dad is nearby, be prepared to be shoo'd away.
Crying child over 5 in figure skates, observed doing skating practice: Watch from afar for a moment to see if they get up. If no, go over and ask if okay. If yes, they're fine.
Crying teen in figure skates, observed doing skating practice: Suck it up, buttercup.
Crying teen in hockey skates: Never happens.

Adult who took a hard fall and is laughing: Go over, ask if okay, offer hand.
Adult who took a hard fall and lies there: Go over, get down on the ice, ask if okay. Take further first aid from there if needed. Usually it's not, they're just a bit stunned.

Large adult, chronically falling and flailing: Go over, tell them to take it easy and/or hold the wall. Be advised that if you try to help this person up from a fall, they will pull up on you and threaten to pull you down. Brace yourself. I always get a little nervous helping up someone twice my size, but I've not been dragged down yet.

And with any fall, keep an eye on that person for awhile. Sometimes people think they're okay when they're not!

You'll retie more skates than you ever imagined, simply because people wander onto the ice with their ankles literally flopping around in their boots. Not helping them is a safety concern. (And all of them will complain that you tied it too tight... LOL)

And as for people asking me to help their child learn to skate, I just advise that they hold onto the wall until they get comfortable.

[twinskaters]

I love your hierarchy, Pegasus! Perfect.

[Query]

You'll retie more skates than you ever imagined, simply because people wander onto the ice with their ankles literally flopping around in their boots. Not helping them is a safety concern. (And all of them will complain that you tied it too tight... LOL)

At the rink where I volunteer as an instructor, I skated the public session in between classes, and one of my boots came untied.  I felt my blades catch a couple times, but I assumed it was just rough ice. One of the other volunteers, age 12 or 13, came over and gleefully pointed out my trailing laces.

Oddly enough, the supervisor of the rink I'm applying to isn't troubled by my volunteering elsewhere, or by my web pages listing other area rinks and giving instructions on how to sharpen and modify skates. She thinks everyone knows there are other rinks, and I guess she isn't worried about the pro shop.

[davincisop]

When I was a rink guard, we always watched skaters, too. Is Susy falling a lot but getting up quickly? She's ok and we don't need to check every fall. I had a 3 second rule: If they weren't trying to get up after about 2-3 seconds, I would go help them.

With that said, I became something for people to grab when they couldn't stop. Not sure why since I'm 5 feet tall... but I always told them to not do that again.

---

I think the rule you're talking about, Query, as most have suggested, is probably more on the "don't aid skaters who can't skate because it distracts you from your job".

Usually, if I saw a kid having a LOT of trouble (usually tots with their parents) and the session was fairly empty, I would quickly demonstrate marching (stomp the bugs) so the kids and parent could at least have some semblance of a good time rather than trying to just stay up the whole session.

[skategeek]

I think the rule you're talking about, Query, as most have suggested, is probably more on the "don't aid skaters who can't skate because it distracts you from your job".

Usually, if I saw a kid having a LOT of trouble (usually tots with their parents) and the session was fairly empty, I would quickly demonstrate marching (stomp the bugs) so the kids and parent could at least have some semblance of a good time rather than trying to just stay up the whole session.

That's how I got into this!  My kid said she wanted a skating birthday party but had only skated once.  Took her to a public session and tried to teach her forward stroking, which was pretty much all I knew how to do.  The session (mid day, mid summer) was deserted and the rink guard took pity on me and gave her a 20 minute lesson on the spot.  We signed her up for camp soon after, and then I followed.  So a little help can go a long way, but obviously it's not practical during a crowded session.

[pegasus99]

Sorry to pop this one back up, but I had to share this one that happened this weekend...

Dad marches onto the ice in shoes to help wobbly daughter. I skate over... "Excuse me sir, I can't let you on the ice in street shoes."
He looks at me, very annoyed. "Well then maybe *you'd* like to help her out?!" and gives me her hand.
I put her hand on the wall and do a few marches. "Just march and glide, you'll get the hang of it!" and skate away.

Later on, he's on the ice in rentals, showing her how to "push off with the teeth, that's what they're for!"

[Query]

The actual policy for this rink turns out to be something like "Do not touch the skater if he/she might be significantly injured."

They don't care if a rink guard teaches someone something.

The rink has a small set of rules guards are supposed to enforce, such as no racing, and no entry without payment. However, I have learned something from working a session: No set of rules is too small to be broken. Many people take great joy in breaking whatever constraint you impose.

[twinskaters]

That makes a lot more sense--you definitely don't want to chance moving someone with a broken bone or serious injury.

Hope you enjoy being a rink guard!