Safety ruleset

1. Pit safety

• 1.1 Follow basic safety practices when handling tools or working on powered robots.
• 1.2 Safety glasses are required for anyone working on or near powered robots.
• 1.3 Stay alert and aware of your surroundings in the pit area.
• 1.4 Batteries may not be installed in robots in the pit area.

2. Battery safety

• 2.1 Middle school participants must have direct adult supervision when installing or removing batteries.
• 2.2 All charging and storage happens only in designated charging areas.
• 2.3 LiPo and LiHV batteries are stored and charged in a LiPo/LiHV-safe bag or container.
• 2.4 All batteries and chargers are labeled with team or bot identification.
• 2.5 Batteries are never left unattended while charging.
• 2.6 Batteries are installed only just before entering the arena or test box.
• 2.7 Batteries come out immediately after matches or tests and go back into safe storage.

3. Bot safety

• 3.1 All active weapon systems carry a clearly visible locking device outside a closed arena or test box.
• 3.2 Locks are brightly colored, labeled, securely affixed, and physically capable of preventing motion.
• 3.3 After each match, robots fully spin down and deactivate before leaving the arena.
• 3.4 Compliant test box: powered tests must be in an enclosed test box with 1/4-inch polycarbonate or equivalent wood walls, kept closed whenever the robot is powered.

4. Functional safety test procedure

This is the exact sequence used at inspection and any approved test box session.

1. Place the robot in the secure test box with power off and all safety devices in place.
2. Turn on the transmitter and place it on a stable surface with controls neutral.
3. Remove guards and covers as needed, but leave the weapon lock engaged.
4. Confirm the test area is clear and the handler is not touching any moving parts.
5. Power on the robot and confirm transmitter binding.
6. If anything moves unintentionally, power off immediately and troubleshoot.
7. Remove the weapon lock.
8. Clear all personnel from the test box and securely close the door.
9. Verify all functions from the transmitter.
10. Return controls to neutral, power off robot then transmitter, reinstall all safety devices.

5. Robot operation

• 5.1 Robots must have functional fail-safes that immediately stop all motion on signal loss.

6. Standard match load-in

1. Place the robot in the arena with the weapon shielded and pointed away from others.
2. Turn on the transmitter and place it in the designated location.
3. Turn on the robot and confirm receiver binding.
4. Remove weapon locks only after the robot is inside the arena and an official gives the go-ahead.
5. Ensure the arena door is fully closed.
6. Begin operation only after the door is closed.

7. Deactivation & load-out

1. Disable the weapon system using applicable cutoffs or safety procedures.
2. Turn off the robot’s main power.
3. Turn off the transmitter.
4. Reinstall all safety locks and guards before handling the robot.

8. Emergencies

• 8.1 In an emergency (fire, runaway robot), both teams stop their bots immediately.
• 8.2 Shut off the transmitter to engage the fail-safe.
• 8.3 The referee may declare the match over for safety concerns.
• 8.4 Robots are deactivated using the standard emergency procedure.
• 8.5 No work happens on the robots until a decision is made.

9. Emergency match stoppage

• 9.1 A referee may halt a match for arena breach, damage, or safety hazard.
• 9.2 On stoppage, all operators deactivate immediately.
• 9.3 Robots may be left in place or moved at staff discretion.
• 9.4 Staff determine whether the match may resume.
• 9.5 The safety of people outranks everything else, always.

10. Safety offense policy

Violations are addressed immediately and firmly. The point is preventing accidents and building good habits, not punishment theater.

• 10.1 First minor offense: verbal warning and a protocol reminder.
• 10.2 Additional offenses by the same team: match penalties, including controller impoundment of 10 seconds per offense at the start of the next match, during which the opponent may attack the immobile robot.
• 10.3 Offenses accumulate until a penalty is issued (three infractions ⇒ 30-second impoundment).
• 10.4 Once a penalty is assessed, the team’s count resets.
• 10.5 The Event Director and safety officials may escalate to forfeiture or disqualification for repeated or serious violations. Their decision is final.