Safety First

Safe 4-H Activities Are No Accident!

A 4-H Volunteer's first concern must always be for the safety of the club members. Every activity involves some risk, but with good planning and organization most risks can be managed or even eliminated.

Accident/Medical Insurance - It's a good idea to consider a basic medical coverage policy for your 4-H members. This insurance is intended to be supplemental to the family's medical insurance and is available from several national companies for as little as $1 per member per year. Call the 4-H Office for additional information.

Liability Insurance - As an MCE Volunteer, you are protected by the Maryland Tort Claims Act. In the event you are sued, the State Attorney General will provide you with legal counsel. This is the same protection afforded state employees including Extension Educators. You will be protected from damages as long as you are not found to have committed gross negligence by intentionally doing something to cause injury or not doing something that would have prevented injury. One of the best ways to limit your liability is getting to know the parents of your members. The better they know you and you them, the less likely they are to sue.

Club Meetings - Accidents happen only rarely at club meetings, but they do happen. It's very important for 4-Hers to be supervised at all times including before and after meetings. You or another responsible adult should arrive at the meeting place at least 15 minutes before the meeting is scheduled to start and to remain until every 4-Her has been picked up. Never leave a 4-Her unattended! Avoid situations where you will be alone with a child while out of the view of others. If you control horseplay and use caution when younger members are using hot or sharp items to do craft work, the likelihood of a serious accident is greatly reduced.

Transportation - Avoid transporting children who are not your own. If you must transport other children, make sure everyone is wearing a seatbelt, and you have a valid driver's license and insurance and observe all traffic laws. It's also a good idea to avoid arranging carpools. Ask the members' parents to make those arrangements themselves. If you must make transportation arrangements, make sure all drivers are at least 21 years of age, have a valid driver's license, current insurance and driving a vehicle in safe working order that provides a seatbelt for every passenger.

Club Activities - Call your 4-H Educator to make him or her aware of any special activities your club will be doing including field trips, fundraisers and service learning projects. If the activity was not included on your club's annual plan, please call the 4-H Office and ask for the activity to be added. Please contact your 4-H Educator before conducting the activity.

Overnight Activities - Clubs are not encouraged to engage in overnight activities. While not forbidden, overnight activities such as club campouts must comply with safety standards. Maryland 4-H has an overnight policy that requires advising the 4-H Office in advance, providing adequate adult supervision of the appropriate gender, having a safe source of drinking water and adequate restroom facilities, having risk management and medical emergency plans, etc. Call your 4-H educator before planning or conducting an overnight activity.

Volunteer Quick Reference

Learning Check

The first concern of every 4-H volunteer must always be for the safety of the members. When planning activities, think about the benefits and the risks. The benefits of good 4-H activities always exceed the risks. One of the best ways to manage risks is to know what they are and to have a plan, including insurance. One of the most important things to remember is to never leave a 4-Her unattended. Discuss an activity your club considered when the risks exceeded the benefits.

The Maryland Tort Claims Act protects MCE Volunteers from liability lawsuits. The Maryland 4-H Program values its volunteers and developed the MCE Volunteer Policy to help protect them. Only MCE volunteers, are protected under the Maryland Tort Claims Act the same as 4-H Educators. The Tort Claims act does not protect volunteers that have been found grossly negligent by committing and act that caused injury to a child or not taking action that would have prevented an accident. Give an example of an action or inaction that could be considered grossly negligent.

Volunteers should avoid transporting 4-Hers to and from meetings and events. If 4-Hers must be transported, make sure everyone is securely belted, the driver has a valid license and current insurance, the vehicle is safe and all traffic laws are strictly obeyed. When could a driver be found grossly negligent should an accident occur and a child be injured?

Online Learning Community

There is nothing more important than the safety of our 4-Hers. Share your thoughts on safety with other volunteers by clicking Online Learning Community to post a message. Respond to one of the above questions/comments or post your own. You must post a message to complete this lesson. Password: 4-H Vol

Next Lesson

Click on Projects to move to the next lesson after you've posted a message to the Online Learning Community in response to a Learning Check question/comment above. Thanks!

For more information, contact Dan Tabler, Volunteer Coordinator

Last updated: 03/13/2009