General Safety Standards for Clothing, Footwear, and Jewelry

• Students must wear appropriate clothing for physical activity. Shorts or sweat pants and T-shirts/sweat shirts are examples of appropriate clothing. Deviations from this minimum are listed on the activity pages.
• Inappropriate clothing may inhibit movement, pose safety risks, and may cause injury during activity.  
• For interschool sports, prescribed team uniform specifications will be determined by the local sport governing association.
• Where religious requirements present a safety concern, refer to the school/school division’s policies/procedures for appropriate modifications.

• Appropriate footwear is required at all times.  Appropriate footwear includes athletic shoes with soles that provide traction and adequate foot/ankle support.   Examples of inappropriate footwear include shoes with a rocker/platform soles, sandals/flip-flops, shoes with wheels, shoes with cleats/spikes, shoes with open toes/open heels. 
• Some activities require specific footwear.  These requirements are outlined on the activity specific pages.  
• Wearing hard-soled shoes and/or only socks during activity may inhibit movement, pose safety risks, and may cause injury during activity. 

• Exposed jewelry worn during physical activity can pose a hazard to the wearer and/or other participants and may cause an injury. Jewelry can be caught up in equipment, on another person or their clothing, or be hit by a projectile.

Sample types of jewelry:

• Hanging jewelry on neck, wrists, ears, torso

• Studs on ears, face, tongue, torso

• Loops/hoops/bars on ears, face, torso

• Rings on fingers, toes

• Watches/activity trackers/bracelets (hard material) on wrists/ankles

• Spacers on ears

• Hair pins, clips and barrettes

• Medic alert identification and religious articles that cannot be removed must be taped or securely covered.

• Finger rings are not permitted for any activity.

Criteria for jewelry during curricular and intramural physical activity:

• During group/team activities where there is a possibility of (incidental) contact with other participants or equipment, exposed jewelry must be removed. Exceptions are:
  • New piercings which present a safety concern can be accommodated during the required healing time period and must be securely covered during physical activity.
  • Spacers are permitted during physical activity.
• Chains and necklaces under an article of clothing that can become exposed during physical activity must be removed.
• During individual/group activities where there is little chance of (incidental) contact with other participants or equipment, exposed jewelry may be worn (for example, skiing/snowboarding, curling, track events).
• For activities where the wearing of jewelry is a safety concern, statements are located on the activity pages (for example, Gymnastics – No exposed jewelry allowed).

Criteria for jewelry during interschool sports practices and competitions:

• The wearing of jewelry during practices and competitions must meet the rules of the governing body of the sport/activity, the Manitoba High School Athletic Association (MHSAA), and the local athletic association.
• Where jewelry is not addressed by the governing body of the sport/activity, the Manitoba High School Athletic Association (MHSAA), or the local athletic associations, school divisions/schools can use the following standards:
  • During activities where body contact is an integral part of the activity, jewelry must not be worn.
  • During activities where there is a possibility of (incidental) contact with other participants or equipment, exposed jewelry must not be worn.
  • During activities where there is little chance of (incidental) contact with other participants (for example, track events, alpine skiing, curling) exposed jewelry does not have to be removed.
  • For activities where the wearing of jewelry is a safety concern, statements are located on the activity pages (for example, “No hanging jewelry allowed”).
• The coach must have the student remove any piece of jewelry they feel may pose a safety hazard to the wearer or other participants.