The Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education represent a consensus on the part of volunteers with respect to minimum safety standards for physical education, intramural activities/club programs, and interschool athletics, and are being made available in order to assist school boards in their formulation of site-specific safety standards for such education, activities/programs and athletics. Ophea oversees and administers the process for achieving the consensus, and achieving the consensus includes relying on the most current knowledge and experience available of safety criteria for physical activities taking place in the elementary and secondary school setting. Neither Ophea nor the volunteers involved in preparing the Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education have independently tested, evaluated, or verified the content of the standards. Implementation of Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education should in all cases be preceded by a close review of the contents of the standards (activity pages and the tools & resources).
The Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education are revised on an annual basis; and from time to time updates are made throughout the year, users must ensure they are using the most current version of the Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education.
In making the Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education available, it is expected that School Boards/schools, when appropriate, will make modifications to specific educational and athletic activities/programs (for example, raise the standard of care) in order to meet the specific requirements and circumstances of their respective schools and programs.
In publishing and making the Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education available, moreover, Ophea is not undertaking to render professional or other services for or on behalf of any person or entity or to perform any duty owed by any person or entity to another person or entity. The Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education and other information in this document are intended for use by persons who have the appropriate degree of experience to use and apply its contents, and neither Ophea nor the volunteers involved in preparing the Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education accept any responsibility or liability for the implementation, customization or any other use of the Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education and other information in this document.