Gill Safety Checklist

Does your facility and equipment meet the rule changes? Well, we have made it easy for you to make sure that your pole vault equipment meets all the requirements. Gill has created this simple checklist that you can use to check your pole vaulting facility for compliancy. We have divided the list into two sections, one for the rules, and another for the NFHS recommendations.

 Click here for a printable version of the Safety Checklist.

Safety Rules

  • Does your pit meet the new rules?
    High School Rule
    19'8" wide behind the standards
    16'5" from the back of the box to the back of the pit
    overall size of 19'8" x 20'2" x 26"
    pit must extend forward to the front edge of the vault box
    College Rule
    19'8" wide behind the standards
    overall size of 19'8" x 20'2" X 32"
    		•  Solution
  • Do you have a vault box collar that is a minimum of 2" thick?
    		• Solution
  • Do you have standard base protectors?
    The protectors must meet the minimum thickness of 2".
    		• Solution
  • Are any and all hard unyielding surfaces covered with a minimum of 2" of foam?
    		• Solution
  • Is your vault box positioning compliant with the rules?
    The maximum cutout for the vault box is 36" in width measured across the bottom of the cutout. The edges of the front of the landing pad immediately behind the vault box must be placed within 3" from the top of the back of the vault box.
  • Are your standards positioned and supported correctly?
    The upright standards that support the crossbar must be no less than 13'8" (4.16m) and no more than 14'8" (4.48m) apart. The standards also must include pins or holes for them to support the crossbar.
    		• Solution
  • Is your crossbar the correct length and weight?
    The crossbar cannot be made of metal. It also must measure 14'10" (4.52m) in length and its weight must not be greater than 5 lbs.
    		• Solution

    Safety Recommendations

  • Are all of the pads properly fastened together and properly positioned?
  • Are your standards securely anchored to your pad?
  • Is your vault box properly installed?
    The top edges of the vault box must be installed at ground level. Also, the front edge of the box must not extend above the grade of the runway surface.
  • Is your runway properly marked?
    The NFHS does not require that the runway is marked, but if the runway is marked, the marks must be at the side of the runway and no longer than 3". Starting from the back of the vault box, the marks must be made in the following manner: 6', 7', 8', 9', 10', 11', 12', 13', 20', 30', 40', 50', 60', 70', 80', 90', 100', 110', 120'.
  • What color is the vault box?
    It is recommended that the vault box be a contrasting color to the runway so it can easily and clearly be seen.