Baseball Manitoba Air Quality Policy Info

All of us at Baseball Manitoba are committed to prioritizing the health and safety of our members. We want to inform you of an important update regarding Baseball Manitoba's Air Quality Policy. This policy contains essential information designed to protect the health and well-being of all baseball participants during periods of reduced air quality. We encourage you to review the policy details below to stay informed and aligned with the current guidelines aimed at ensuring a safe playing environment.

BASEBALL MANITOBA AIR QUALITY POLICY

PURPOSE

Baseball Manitoba believes in fostering a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment for participants. When making decisions related to air quality, the health and safety of participants shall be of the upmost concern. 

POLICY STATEMENT

This policy aims to ensure the safety and well-being of participants involved in baseball activities (games and practices) in Manitoba by providing guidelines on when it is safe to play or practice outdoors based on air quality conditions, with a focus on the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI).

 APPLICATION /SCOPE

Air quality impacts individuals differently. This document will use the term ‘at-risk athletes’ to describe individuals most likely to experience health impacts related to poor air quality. Individuals with a history of respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, young children, and the elderly may be considered at-risk. To determine if an individual is in the at-risk population, see Environment Canada’s website.

It is strongly recommended that the parents/guardians of at-risk athletes communicate this information to their child’s coaches to ensure their health is closely monitored in times of poor air quality.  The parents/guardians of at-risk athletes, should make decisions related to their child’s participation in baseball activities, based on their child’s own personal health

PROCEDURE

Baseball Manitoba will use the Air Quality Index (AQI) and Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) as measurement tools of air quality. These measurements will help guide the appropriate response to poor air quality, as it impacts baseball activity. 

1. Air Quality Index (AQI)

The AQI measures five different air pollutants on a scale of 0 to 500. The most common and problematic pollutants for physical activity are ground-level ozone and particulate matter. The following scale explains the level of risk with each reading: 

2. Air Quality Health Index (AQHI)

The AQHI measures the sum of the health risks associated with air pollution on a scale of 1 to 10. 

The following scale explains the level of risk with each reading:

AQHI readings at various locations in Manitoba and forecasted readings for the next 24 hours. 

3.    Intensity of Physical Activity 

The intensity of physical activity and related exertion levels are factors when determining what actions to take in response to poor air quality. Baseball is generally considered a low-intensity sport and may make different adaptations in times of poor air quality, when compared to higher-intensity sports, such as soccer and lacrosse.    

4.    Recommended Adaptations

Moderate Risk 

AQI reading of 51-150 or an AQHI reading of 4-6. 

When there is a moderate air quality risk, Baseball Manitoba recommends:

• monitor at-risk athletes for respiratory difficulties.
• consider reducing the physical exertion levels for at-risk athletes.
• consider reducing the length of time at-risk athletes spend outside.
• generally, no action is required for the general population.

High Risk

AQI reading of 151-200 or an AQHI reading of 7-10. 

When there is a high air quality risk, Baseball Manitoba recommends: 

• significantly reducing outdoor activity for at-risk athletes; reschedule or move training for at risk athletes inside.
• reduce the physical exertion levels of all athletes.
• reduce the length of time all athletes spend outside; consider, for example, not taking batting practice and leaving the field immediately after training or competition.
• monitor all athletes for symptoms, including coughing and throat irritation; reduce exertion levels or reschedule activities for those experiencing symptoms

Very High Risk 

AQI reading over 200 or an AQHI reading of 10+. 

When there is a high air quality risk, Baseball Manitoba recommends:

• cancelling or rescheduling outdoor activity
• significantly reducing physical exertion and length of time spent outdoors for all athletes - closely monitoring all athletes for symptoms including coughing and throat irritation; strongly consider ending activities for those experiencing symptoms.

5.    Decision Making Process

Given that air quality can vary throughout the province, the responsibility for enacting the recommended adaptations described in Section 4 of this document, is typically the responsibility of local sports organizations and individual teams.

At Baseball Manitoba Provincial Championships, the onsite Tournament Convener will have the primary responsibility for making decisions and recommendations related to air quality in consultation with the VP-Competition and/or Executive Director. 

At Baseball Manitoba camps and high-performance activities, the camp leader or head coach will have primary responsibility for making decisions and recommendations related to air quality, in consultation with the VP-High Performance and/or Program Director. 

When air quality nears a very high risk, as described in Section 4 of this document, leagues, member organizations, and Baseball Manitoba may consider suspending outdoor baseball activity for a specific region of the province. 

6. References

Information related to the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) is that of Environment Canada and was retrieved on January 24, 2021, from:

https://weather.gc.ca/airquality/healthmessage_e.html

Information related to the Air Quality Index (AQI) is that of Air Now and was retrieved on January 24, 2021, from:

https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-

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Visit our Policy page here to find a downloadable PDF version of this information.