[JaneYoung]

In my opinion, there shouldn't be a Safety Award. I haven't always felt this way but I do now. There should be guidelines and where necessary, rules - in place for the teams to know and be aware of before they arrive at the competition. If the guidelines and rules are ignored by teams, they can be addressed at the venue by speaking with one or two of the mentors of the team. If the Safety Award is a permanent fixture of the FRC competition - reserve a special recognition for a team that really gets it and role models it at the competition. The award may not be given out at every competition because there may not be a team present that gets it. By making it harder to come by, teams will pay more attention to the real value of earning a Safety Award instead of everyone vying for one that they know someone is going to get and they will continue to litter pits and venues with paper and noise. Safety should be a way of life for a team, not a trophy bling incentive. That part of the reason for safety is getting lost. When teams are working in the shops during build season and they are practicing safety - they don't get rewards every time they put on ear protectors or safety glasses. It is an expectation and a learned habit that should become ingrained in them. Their shop skills and their safety habits go hand-in-hand and become routine.

Jane