Making sport safer ... from lightning!
Despite 23 people dying from lightning strike in Australia between 1990 and 1999, and a further 95 lightning victims being admitted to hospital between 1993 and 1998, Australia does not have lightning safety guidelines for outdoor sporting events.
In the latest edition of the Medical Journal of Australia, Michael Makdissi and Peter Brukner from the Centre for Sports Medicine Research and Education, University of Melbourne, present a blueprint for a lightning safety policy for outdoor sport in Australia.
Each year many people are killed or injured by lightning due to misinformation and inappropriate behaviour during thunderstorms.
Analysis of the circumstances surrounding lightning strikes shows that, while there has been a large decrease in the number of lightning casualties in farming and outdoor work, there has been a smaller relative increase is sports-related casualties.
Dr Brukner says that not all the casualties are on the field - spectators are at equal risk.
"With large crowds gathering to participate in or watch an outdoor event, the potential exists for mass casualties to occur from a lightning strike at any one venue," Dr Brukner says.
"There is a need to develop specific approaches for lightning safety at sports events" - in response to injury from the strike and for orderly evacuation to a safe place.
The researchers say that organisers of sporting events should have a lightning safety policy that includes a designated weather watcher with the authority to stop or postpone the event. There should also be a specific chain of command at the venue and designated safe areas.
They recommend that suspension and resumption of play should follow the "30-30" rule - play should stop when the 'flash-to-bang' count is 30 seconds, and should not resume until 30 minutes after the last lightning.
At events with large crowds, additional time should be allowed for evacuating all people to safe areas.
In 1998, the Lightning Safety Group - a group of lightning experts in the United States - developed guidelines for lightning safety, which have since been applied to a variety of sports and recreational pursuits in the US.
It is hoped that the Makdissi/Brukner recommendations will lead to a formal lightning safety policy in Australia.
The Medical Journal of Australia is a publication of the Australian Medical Association.
CONTACTS: Dr Peter Brukner
University of Melbourne
(03) 9427 0366 (B/H)
(0418) 351 009 (A/H)
Dr Michael Makdissi
University of Melbourne
(0412) 433 501
Sarah Crichton
AMA Public Affairs
(0419) 440 076