Heat & Humidity Policy

All Douglas County High Schools and Middle Schools follow the statewide policy of the Georgia High School Association for conducting practices and voluntary conditioning workouts in all sports during times of extremely high heat and/or humidity.

The policy follows modified guidelines of the American College of Sports Medicine in regard to:

1. The scheduling of practices at various heat/humidity levels.
2. The ratio of workout time to time allotted for rest and hydration at various heat/
humidity levels.
3. The heat/humidity level that will result in practice being terminated.

A scientifically approved instrument that measures Wet Bulb Glove Temperature (WBGT) reading will be
utilized at each practice to ensure that the written policy is being followed properly.

WET BULB GLOBAL TEMPERATURE READING ACTIVITY GUIDELINES & REST BREAK GUIDELINES
UNDER 82.0 Normal activities -- Provide at least separate rest
breaks each hour of minimum duration of 3 minutes
each during workout
82.0 - 86.9 Use discretion for intense or prolonged exercise;
Watch at-risk players carefully; Provide at least three
separate rest breaks each hour of a minimum of 4
minutes duration each.
87.0 - 89.9 Maximum practice time is two hours. For Football:
players restricted to helmet, shoulder pads, and
shorts during practice. All protective equipment must
be removed for conditioning activities. For all sports:
Provide at least four separate rest breaks each hour
of 4 minutes each.
90.0 - 92.0 Maximum length of practice is one hour, no protective
equipment may be worn during practice and there may
be no conditioning activities. There must be 20
minutes of rest breaks provided during the hour of
practice.
OVER 92 No outdoor workouts; Cancel exercise; delay practices
until a cooler WBGT reading occurs.


GUIDELINES FOR HYDRATION AND REST BREAKS

1. Rest time should involve both unlimited hydration intake (water or electrolyte drinks) and rest without any
activity involved.
2. For football, helmets should be removed during rest time.
3. The site of the rest time should be a "cooling zone" and not in direct sunlight.
4. When the WBGT reading is over 86:
a. Ice towels and spray bottles filled with ice water should be available at the "cooling zone" to aid the
cooling process.
b. Cold immersion tubs must be available for practices for the benefit of any player showing early signs
of heat illness.

DEFINITIONS
1. PRACTICE: the period of time that a participant engages in a coach-supervised, school-approved sport
or conditioning-related activity. Practices are timed from the time the players report to the field until
they leave.
2. WALK THROUGH: this period of time shall last no more than one hour, is not considered to be a part
of the practice time regulation, and may not involve conditioning or weight-room activities. Players may
not wear protective equipment.

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