Re: Best Practices For Staying Healthy During Build & Competition Season
 

The thing I like to do with my team during the build season is to have a little non-robot related fun (aka: outdoor activity).

We have a grassy area right outside our lab (which is actually pretty funny considering we are smack dab in the middle of a city) and we will play games of frisbee, wiffleball, football or whatever it may be every now and then. On long days where we've been in the lab for hours already after working extremely hard throughout the week, its nice to blow off some steam outside.

Outside of that, just be reasonable with the team. As important as it may seem at the time, try to put whatever task you are doing in perspective and realize its just a robot. Take a team break to get lunch so no one feels left out if they go to eat. Keep bottled water in the lab and sell it for 50 cents or so and actually raise some money for the team in the process.

Just keep it all in perspective, theres no reason for anyone to hurt themselves because of robotics.

-Brando

Re: Best Practices For Staying Healthy During Build & Competition Season
 

These have been mentioned already, but my three biggies - sleep, drink, wash hands.

At competitions water fountains are few and far away - they do want you to buy bottled water of course. So bring an empty water bottle with you, and fill it up at the first spot you can (even in the sinks in the restrooms - unless posted, that water is fine to drink). It saves a lot of money and the environment. And you can buy some nifty FIRST water bottles too - I like the ones you can clip to your belt.

Re: Best Practices For Staying Healthy During Build & Competition Season
 

Something worth mentioning (which my cross country coach stresses HEAVILY at the beginning of and throughout the season):

You will know how hydrated you are by looking at your pee. I'm not kidding. Clear/very light yellow is a sign that you are well-hydrated. Dark yellow means that you are not hydrated enough. In the middle means that you probably should be drinking more water (or other liquids, though water is best). You should NOT be peeing Mountain Dew.

Brown or cloudy urine is bad. Drink more, see if anything improves over a few days. If it doesn't, talk to your parents and most likely go see a doctor.

Re: Best Practices For Staying Healthy During Build & Competition Season
 

You're quite correct here, though I would highly recommend seeing a doctor sooner if it's brown, as this can be a sign of any of a number of medical conditions, including bleeding in the kidney(s), ureter, or bladder, copper poisoning, a serious muscle injury, or a variety of liver conditions. The need for medical attention further increases if you exhibit other signs of illness (the most prominent being a fever, but flank or abdominal pain and/or a pain or burning sensation while urinating are serious indicators as well, besides being less vague indicators of something serious)

(By the way both of my parents are involved in medical in some form, so I've heard some odd stories of small things blowing up, so while I don't want to come off as overly cautious or paranoid when it comes to this sort of thing, this is a more unusual symptom and shouldn't be overlooked, especially if it's in conjunction with the other symptoms I've mentioned)

Re: Best Practices For Staying Healthy During Build & Competition Season
 

Anyone have any comments about running or horse play in the shop/work area/competition venue?

Use of cell phones when working?

Re: Best Practices For Staying Healthy During Build & Competition Season
 

Horseplay: OUTSIDE! Can't be stressed enough. Get out onto grass, snow, gym mats, mud, whatever, but don't do it in the shop. Too many things can go wrong in too many ways.

Running: Not in the work area, but if you really need to hurry, a fast walk until you're in a safe area, then a slow run, could be appropriate.

Cell phones while working: Get to a stopping point, stop, and make the tool safe before you answer the phone. If driving while on the phone is dangerous, milling/lathing/hammering/holding/sawing/driving screws/running motors while on the phone is even more so, not least because now you're doing it with one hand.

Re: Best Practices For Staying Healthy During Build & Competition Season
 

Don't run in the shop/competition area. Last year at Kettering we had a person fall; they were removed on a stretcher. Why? Because they were running.

Cell phones are great technology but please leave them out of the shop. If you are talking on them head into another room or into the hall way. If you are texting put the thing away if you are in the shop. In the shop you need to pay attention to what is going on.

As for using cell phones during meetings, use common courtesy. If it is your family I will always understand, if it is your SO... not so much.

Re: Best Practices For Staying Healthy During Build & Competition Season
 

How about music? Tunes through a stereo? iPods/MP3 players?

Re: Best Practices For Staying Healthy During Build & Competition Season
 

If you MUST listen to that sort of thing, one ear only and make sure--and I mean 200% certain--that the cord is not going to get caught! Under a shirt, taped to the shirt, but not out freely!

Now, a full-shop stereo, not so bad as long as the volume is kept reasonable and the music is something that pretty much everybody likes.

Re: Best Practices For Staying Healthy During Build & Competition Season
 

Ear plugs for competitions - is that one of the items on the checklist for packing for the team? Does the team provide them and does it provide them for others: guests/visitors/teams?

Long hair - guidelines? Word of mouth, never mentioned, or well known?

Shoes/apparel for travel/competition/working in the shop?

How do teams who compete in other areas of the world that have different climates than they are accustomed to, prepare for travel and dressing for the weather?

Re: Best Practices For Staying Healthy During Build & Competition Season
 

Make sure you eat a balanced diet!

My roommate knew someone in college who got scurvy (no joke!) because they didn't consume enough vitamin C.

Re: Best Practices For Staying Healthy During Build & Competition Season
 

I don't know many teams who provide ear plugs for guests/visitors, but it wouldn't be a bad idea. While I usually don't notice that the music is unnaturally loud (my ears are accustomed to loud drums and cymbals, so volume doesn't bother me), I know that many adults find it very annoying.

Long hair should always be tied back...always. If it is VERY LONG hair (bust length or longer), I suggest tucking it into the back of your shirt to prevent it from swinging over your shoulder or under your arm.

Shoes: Close-toed, close-heeled. Visitors walking through the pit with, say, Birkenstocks, may be fine, but those working in the pit or in the shop NEED closed heels. Crocs do not count for anything other than great shower shoes.

Even if you're in Hawaii, I would personally not find shorts to be appropriate in the pit or the shop. Shorts are dangerous when there's a chance of something hitting your leg, as there often are when working around machines (even a metal chip from a drill press can hurt if it flys at you just right). I know that others have different opinions on that (especially those who build in warm weather), but that is just mine.

Re: Best Practices For Staying Healthy During Build & Competition Season
 

While most team members are used to the noise, many visitors have asked for them, especially if they have kids. We definitely make sure to bring them along to all competitions (and they're available to anyone).

I'd disagree only because it's more painful than anything. Chips in the eyes and other sensitive places is both painful and dangerous, hence the use of safety glasses, but chips hitting your arms and hands isn't a big deal besides any minor pain, and I'd venture to say that's about the same for legs.

Cell Phones are for when they aren't distracting you from anything else, nor bothering those around you. Avoid use during meetings, while around people doing things needing focus (programming, machining, etc.), while doing things needing focus. Texting is more generally okay as long as you're out of the way and not doing anything (even walking).

Tunes: Don't let them distract you. Reasonable volume, so you can hear what's going on around you (if a fire alarm goes off...). I know I work better with less noise, but that's more a personal opinion. I rather like a 'shop stereo' unless it's annoying or annoyingly loud.

Re: Best Practices For Staying Healthy During Build & Competition Season
 

These are not team rules, but ruled implemented by my parents:

Academic Health: If I have any missing assignments (my district allows to check grades online), then I can't go to robotics until its turned in. I hate missing robotics more than I hate doing homework.

Sleep: If I can't/don't wake up in the morning and as a result either miss my bus/am late to school, then I can't go to robotics/have to leave early because I need more sleep. I hated this rule so much, but its reasonable.

Team Rules:
-Hair/safety glasses- already been covered.
-No loose clothing
-If what your doing can possibly hurt anyone in anyway, then you shouldn't do it.

We encourage students to each lunch on long days and have team-lunch time. We do the same for dinner time and parents often will bring in small snacks for the team to eat as well. We have had little-to-no incidents of students getting hurt for reasons other than "I grabbed something that was hot/moving/etc. without thinking" (or similar to) (by the way, friction creates heat, and heat can burn thumbs) and so we never had to really worry about creating rules to encourage healthiness/remind team-members to eat/drink.

Re: Best Practices For Staying Healthy During Build & Competition Season
 

One of the areas I was thinking about with this question was the warm weather competitors traveling to and competing in the cold weather competitions.

If you think southern folks drive funny in snow and icy conditions, you should see how some of us dress in said conditions. In the north, heavier coats and sturdier footwear would be wise recommendations but how do teams get that word out and how do they let teams know that additional costs will be incurred? That's a couple of my questions regarding that question.

Also, any suggestions/best practices for having team members notify the lead mentor of special conditions/needs such as required medications, allergies/asthma, or family situations to be aware of during travel?

Thanks for all the contributions in the thread.

Jane