Recreational Off Duty Safety (RODS) - Safety
Recreation Off Duty Safety (RODS)
Recreation and off-duty mishaps are the number one cause of injury and the number two killer of Navy personnel. The information in this section is designed to make you aware of the hazards associated with common leisure-time activities of the season and familiarize you with basic precautions.
- RODS NPS / NSAM Site Specific Checklist
- RODS Safety Quarterly Training Powerpoint
- RODS Holiday Training
Background
Each year approximately 1,152 Navy military personnel engaged in recreation, athletics and home activities are accidentally injured or killed. These mishaps cost has Navy approximately 23,441 workdays. For every on-duty lost-time mishap, there is another off-the-job injury. Additional losses in productivity occur when Navy personnel are required to be away from the job to care for family members hurt in mishaps. Such losses severely impact operational readiness. Recreational mishaps, after motor vehicle mishaps, are the leading cause of death for off-duty Navy personnel. Approximately 15 drowning occur each year during recreational activities. Falls are the second leading cause of death. Team sports produce more injuries than any other recreational activity. Many recreational mishaps report alcohol as a contributing factor; nearly all involve human error.
- Team Activities. Basketball has the highest percentage of disabling injuries among team sports. Softball and football are the next largest producers of long-time injuries. Sports injuries are due to four basic factors: poor conditioning, inadequate ability and skill, lack of protective clothing and equipment, and violation of recognized rules. The most commonly reported injuries are to the knee, lower leg and ankle. Fractures occur most often in football and softball while sprains and strains occur more frequently in basketball. Pick-up games result in more injuries than organized, officiated games. Not all such mishaps are preventable. However, their reduction must remain a firm, basic goal.
- Individual Activities. Swimming, boating and gun handling have the highest potential for fatal injury. Weak swimmers getting in "over their heads" boaters and fisherman not wearing personal flotation devices and hunters cleaning "unloaded" guns are common scenarios which lead to death. Injuries have increased over the past few years due to the increased popularity of leisure pursuits. Jogging, bicycling, and physical fitness oriented activities product the greatest number of reportable lost-time injuries. The type of injuries cited most often are fractures, sprains, and strains.