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R&R Insurance Blog

Wrestling Injury Leads to Heightened Regulations

Posted by Paul Lessila

Wrestling MatA tragic accident at a North Carolina high school wrestling meet in 2014 led to heightened regulations on mat thickness and placement. When no-1 ranked wrestler, Luke Hampton, attempted to drive his opponent backward he wound up headfirst in a padded wall - leaving him completely paralyzed from the neck down.

 

In the weeks following the accident, tournament officials, school superintendents, and coaches refused to complete until mats were positioned correctly. According to the 2011–12 edition of the federation’s handbook, Rule 2-1(5) states: “The mat area includes the wrestling mat and a space of at least 10 feet surrounding the mat, as well as the team benches and scorer’s table where facilities permit.”

 

Today, 12 inches of padding is recommended with it extending at least 8 feet beyond the area of activity. In order to ensure you’re meeting regulations, visit the ASTM Standards 1292 – an excellent guide for mats and protective surfacing. Suppliers are also a reliable source for recommended protection.

 

What is ASTM International?

Established in 1898 originally as the American Society for Testing and Materials, ASTM International is one of the largest voluntary standards developing organizations in the world. ASTM is a not-for-profit organization that provides a forum for the development and publication of international voluntary consensus standards for materials, products, systems and services. ASTM’s members, including producers, users, and consumers from more than 150 countries, develop technical documents that are a basis for manufacturing, management, procurement, codes and regulations.

 

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Topics: Safety, Schools, Real Life Examples