SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT
IMPORTANT NOTE:
The operation of any vehicle (motorized or not) has inherent safety risk. Operation of a soapbox racer could result in serious injury, including loss of limb and even death for the operator(s), passengers and spectators.
Building a soapbox also has its own safety issues that could cause serious injury including the limb and even death.
Using safe design, building and operating principles outlined below can help to lower, but not eliminate, the risks associated with the construction and operation of your soapbox racer.
The DERBY*GOKIT® soapbox racer kit allows the builder's creativity to run wild. However, when imagination runs wild the resulting build may not be the greatest from a safety design aspect. Using the simple design principles discussed herein should be a good start to a safe experience.
- Keep the centre of gravity as low as possible to prevent overturning. Although a design incorporating a toilet as a seat may look like fun, it is more prone to overturning due to its high centre of gravity. Similarly, designs using couches may seem very comfortable at the before the start of the race but, it may not be the safest design once the race starts.
- Keep the placement of wheels spaced wide apart to resist overturning.
- Use the wheels provided with the DERBY*GOKIT ®. When making hard turns, wheels with better traction will have a higher tendency to grab hold and initiate overturning rather than sliding.
- Ensure that there are no sharp corners or loose objects in the design.
- Design your soapbox such that limbs are protected.
- Incorporate good working brakes into the design.
- Moving your rear wheels forward may make popping wheelies easier but downward pressure on the front wheels is necessary to steer your soapbox.
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The DERBY*GOKIT ® provides a robust platform from which to build your soapbox. The safe operation principles, listed below, should be followed when operating the soapbox.
- Do not operate your soapbox in an open roadway or area where vehicles are present.
- Operate away from bystanders, animals and parked vehicles that could be dammaged or injured if struck by your soapbox.
- Wear proper personal protective equipment when operating your soapbox (such as a helmet, gloves, closed toed shoes, knee and elbow guards).
- Do not wear loose clothing that could get caught in wheels. Keep hands and feet away from wheels.
- Young children should be supervised at all times by a parent or guardian.
- Ensure soapbox is in safe working condition. Make sure brakes are in working order and that there are no loose or missing fasteners.
- While building your soapbox ensure that tools are in good working order with all necessary guards in place. Wear proper personal protective equipment for the task at hand (e.g., eye protection, gloves, no loose clothing, closed toed shoes, as required).
- Young children should be supervised at all times during the build. Also, children tend to not mind having a parent/teacher/guardian operate power tools for them.
- If you are uncomfortable operating power tools ask someone else. We have found that the local lumber store, where you purchase your plywood, will likely also cut it to size for a nominal fee.
Race organizers should consider the following ideas for safe design and operating principles.
- Prepare a safety checklist list to help identify safety hazards.
- Consider assigning a safety manager from your organization that is responsible for identifying safety issues and inspecting participants soapbox and personal protective equipment.
- Organize a pre-race safety meeting to outline rules for the race and to ensure safe behaviour of participants and spectators.
- Inspect roadway and starting ramp prior to racing (such as pinch points, dropoffs no that could endanger the safety of participants, organizers and participants.
- Have a safety inspection of each soapbox prior to the start of racing to ensure that each racer has proper working brakes and has followed safe design practices in the construction of their soapbox racer.
- Before the start of each race ensure that racers are wearing their required personal protection equipment properly and that the soapbox is in safe working condition.
- Prior to each race, ensure that track is free of unauthorized motor vehicles, spectators and debris.
- Ensure that track grade and speed of racers is appropriate for DERBY*GOKIT ® and the age and ability of the riders.
- Devices, such as ramps or speed bumps, are not endorsed by DERBY*GOKIT® in downhill races due to the dangers inherent in these devices.
- Hay bales or temporary guard rails should be used to separate observers from racers. as appropriate.
- Provide adequate distance or hay bales between racers to prevent collisions.
- Consider assigning a safety manager, possibly a nurse or doctor, to be available in a designated first aid station. Keep a list that contains contact information for participants as well as the phone number of emergency responders (especially important in areas where 911 is not an available service).
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The DERBY*GOKIT® has been manufactured with the environment in mind. With the exception of the shrink wrapping used to enclose the package, the remaining components and packaging can be reused and/or recycled. Some suggestions for designing and constructing your DERBY*GOKIT® soapbox racer in an environmentally responsible manner is encouraged.
- Teach your child or student what is recyclable and reusable (e.g., the cardboard packaging is reused as the template for the basic soapbox, steel and aluminum can be reused and recycled, plastic wheels can be repurposed and recycled.
- It is a good time to encourage environmentally responsible design.
- Consider using construction of the soapbox as a platform for educating the effects on environment. Have students presentation on the environmental (and safety) considerations used in the design and building of their soapbox.
- Steel and aluminum has been used in the construction of the DERBY*GOKIT®. The kit uses common sizes of threads nuts, bolts, pins and washers. Each part is repairable, replaceable, reinforceable and adjustable. And perhaps most importantly easily recyclable.
- Wheel hubs are made of HDPE and tires are made of PVC and are common sizes used in lawnmowers for reuse.
- Decisions on type of paint used, repurposing of materials, and reuse, recycling or disposal of materials have an affect on our environment. We have seen race participants that have repurposed many items into their soapbox design from old guitars to discarded bathtubs. CPerhaps consider decorating your soapbox with old teddy bears in lieu of paint.
- Consider prizes that could be awarded for the soapbox considered to be the most environmentally responsible at a race or in a classroom or corporate build event.
- Consider environmentally friendly prizes for your event. Consider having trophies and ribbons available for photo opportunities that get returned and reused in subsequent years.