Question about carts

[techhelpbb]

Originally Posted by Alan Anderson

I think this is a problem. They are supposed to be Safety Advisors. Not inspectors. Unless they can point to a rule (either in the FRC manual, the venue guidelines, or something like the NEC), I do not believe their opinions should be considered any more binding than those of any other volunteer.

I have seen a Safety Advisor tell a student he must wear gloves when using a power drill. I have had Safety Advisors tell me they wanted to encourage the practice of continuously shouting "Robot!" when moving a robot anywhere outside a pit. I do not take them for granted, but neither do I take them as law.

I agree. However I often find that sorting out something like all these battery powered carts is best done by FIRST. I really don't want to sit there with someone trying to make or break the case of whatever the situation is. I think the more people get asked the bigger the official/unofficial knot.

FIRST can easily settle this by addressing what they will and will not tolerate on those carts as far as batteries. If the non-FRC style batteries are allowed then the specifics can be worked out, specified or left to the people at the event. I am 'up in the air' over it as far as safety is concerned. I see the risk and also I see the ways it could be done safe enough.

If FIRST gives an answer it just leaves more time to deal with so many other issues.

Stuff like this turns into the 'bag and tag' debacle.
Bags with no tags or tags with no bags.
People worried they will get 'busted' at the next event.
Was such a headache at Mount Olive we had to call in for official response.
No issue with the idea...just no resources to comply with it.