Safety Recommendations for Physical Exertion and

Outdoor Activities during Air Pollution

PE Section, Education Bureau 5 October 2010

Content

EDB Circular No.9/2010 (Revised) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Dos & Don'ts for Arranging School Activities An overview of safety recommendations

Guiding Principles Physical development is an essential learning

experience for facilitating lifelong learning and whole-person development of students

During pre-primary stage, physical play helps young children build up physical fitness and good habits for healthy growth

During Key Stage 1-4 , PE curriculum instills in students desirable attitude towards physical activities, habitual participation in sports, and an active and healthy lifestyle

Safe and effective PE lessons can be achieved by detailed planning, careful arrangement and thorough preparation

We should treat our students in a manner comparable with that of reasonable and prudent parents taking care of their children

Original Recommendations （ EDBC003/1998 ）

If the API or forecast is within the range of 101 and 200:

to arrange for susceptible students (i.e. students with heart or respiratory illnesses) to reduce physical exertion and outdoor activities

these susceptible students should be advised to refrain from participating in activities such as physical education lessons and sporting events in sports day / swimming gala to be held in the affected zone

New Recommendations （ EDBC009/2010 ）

If the API or its forecast reaches 101-200: schools should arrange for all students to reduce physical exertion

and outdoor activities While schools may arrange for physical activities such as physical

education (PE) lessons, games days, athletics meets, swimming galas and outdoor activities for their students, they should moderate the intensity and/or duration of such activities

When students have symptoms associated with air pollution (e.g. eye irritation, coughing, chest tightness, etc), they should stop physical activities and preferably stay indoors. They should also seek medical advice from registered doctors, if necessary

Students with heart or respiratory illnesses should not participate in the abovementioned activities, and should reduce the duration of their exposure to outdoor environment

Original Recommendations （ EDBC003/1998 ）

When API or forecast is within the range of 201 and 500:

to arrange for all students to reduce physical exertion and outdoor activities

Activities such as physical education lessons and sports day / swimming gala to be held in the affected zone should be suspended, cancelled or postponed

New Recommendations （ EDBC009/2010 ）

If the API or its forecast exceeds 200: schools should arrange for all students to avoid physical

exertion and outdoor activities Schools should suspend, cancel or postpone physical

activities such as PE lessons (skill practice), games days, athletics meets, swimming galas and outdoor activities.

Schools may however arrange for theoretical learning of PE during PE lessons

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Application of the EDBC009/2010 Access to API information General / Roadside API Students with heart or respiratory illnesses Arrangements for Student Activities under API between 101 a

nd 200 Arrangements for API exceeding 200 Outdoor Activities Use of LCSD and HD Sports Facilities Others

Source ： www.edb.gov.hk/index.aspx?nodeID=2912&langno=2

FAQ （ No. 9 ）

Should PE lessons be arranged when API reaches 101 – 200? Yes, provided that the PE teachers moderate the intensity and/or durati

on of PE lessons. For example, they may arrange for physical activities of moderate to light activity levels, introduce more rest breaks / time, reduce the duration of activities, etc.

Schools should encourage students to adopt nasal breathing and to drink adequate water before, during and after exercise.

When students have symptoms associated with air pollution (e.g. eye irritation, coughing, chest tightness, etc), they should stop participating in physical activities and preferably stay indoors; they should also seek medical advice from registered doctors, if necessary.

Students with heart or respiratory illnesses should not participate in practical sessions of PE lessons and should reduce their exposure to outdoor environment when API exceeds 100.

FAQ （ No. 10 ）

Should games day, athletics meets, swimming galas, cross country or road running race, etc be arranged when API reaches 101 – 200? Children should reduce physical exertion and outdoor activities when A

PI reaches 101 – 200. Schools should moderate the intensity and/or duration of such activities.

For example, they may cancel long-distance events in athletics meets (1,500m or above) / swimming galas (200m or above), and reduce the number of heats leading to finals.

When students have symptoms associated with air pollution (e.g. eye irritation, coughing, chest tightness, etc), they should stop participating in physical activities and preferably stay indoors; they should also seek medical advice from registered doctors, if necessary.

Schools may also suspend, cancel or postpone cross-country, road-running race, etc.

Students with heart or respiratory illnesses should not participate in such activities when API exceeds 100; they may reduce the duration of their exposure to outdoor environment.

FAQ （ No. 11 ）

Should schools organise ball games competitions when API reaches 101 – 200? Yes, provided that the schools moderate the intensity and/or duration o

f such activities. For example, they may reduce the duration of the competitions, introduce more rest breaks / time, cancel extra-time after draws, etc. Schools may also encourage students to drink adequate water before, during and after exercise.

When students have symptoms associated with air pollution (e.g. eye irritation, coughing, chest tightness, etc), they should stop participating in physical activities and preferably stay indoors; they should also seek medical advice from registered doctors, if necessary.

Students with heart or respiratory illnesses should not participate in ball games competitions when API exceeds 100.

FAQ （ No. 12 ）

Should physical activities such as PE lessons (skills practice), games days, athletics meets, swimming galas, ball games competitions, etc be arranged when API exceeds 200? ﹖ No. Schools are advised to suspend, cancel or postpone su

ch activities when API exceeds 200 Schools may arrange for theoretical learning of PE during

PE lessons for their students

Theoretical learning of PE - Examples

ETV (Education Bureau) Physical Education Website (HK EdCity) EatSmart@school.hk （ Department of

Health ） Learning activities through school libraries Physical fitness evaluation and analysis First aid skills and knowledge Issues in PE – discussion, debate, role-

play… Should HK bid to host the 2023 Asian

Games? …

Dos & Don'ts for Arranging School Activities

Air Pollution

Level API

Health Advice to Children Recommendations to Schoo

ls General APIRoadside API

Very High 101-200 Children are advised to reduce physical exertion and outdoor activities.

Children are advised to avoid prolonged stay in areas with heavy traffic and reduce physical exertion in such areas as far as possible.

PE lessons

Games days

Athletics meets

Swimming galas

Ball games competitions

Outdoor Education Camps

Outdoor activities

School picnics

Visits (indoor and outdoor)

Flag selling activities

Cross-country

Road-running race

Source ： www.edb.gov.hk/index.aspx?nodeID=2912&langno=2

Dos & Don'ts for Arranging School Activities

Air Pollution

Level API

Health Advice to Children Recommendations to Scho

ols General APIRoadside API

Very High 201-500 Children are advised to avoid physical exertion and outdoor activities.

Children are advised to avoid staying in areas with heavy traffic.

Theoretical learning of PE

Visits (indoor)

PE lessons (skill practice)

Games days

Athletics meets

Swimming galas

Ball games competitions

Cross-country

Road-running race

Outdoor Education Camps

Outdoor activities

School picnics

Visits (outdoor)

Flag selling activities

Activity arrangements under different weather conditions

Swimming Galas, Athletics Meets, Swimming Classes…

Outdoor Activities(usually conducted in natural environm

ent and are exploratory, challenging and physically demanding in nature)

Tropical Cyclone

Stand-by Signal No.1 ： Continue, but be aware of weather conditions

Strong Wind Signal No.3 or above :

Cancel / postpone

Stand-by Signal No.1 ： Cancel / postpone

Rainstorm

AmberAmber Rainstorm Warning ： Continue, but be aware of weather conditions

RedRed / BlackBlack Rainstorm Warning ： Cancel /

postpone

ThunderstormThunderstorm (Regional) ： Cancel / postpone（ For outdoor facilities only)

Air Pollution Index (API)

API = 101 -200 ： All students reduce physical exertion and outdoor activities

API = 201 or above ： All students avoid physical exertion and outdoor activities

An overview of safety recommendations

Get latest API information

API below 100

API between 101-200

API exceeds 200

Maintain physical exertion &outdoor activities

Reduce physical exertion & outdoor activities

Avoid physical exertion & outdoor activities

• allocate adequate curriculum time to PE

• maintain regular exercise• increase intensity & duration

of physical activities

• moderate intensity/duration of physical exertion & outdoor activities

• monitor latest API information • monitor students’ conditions

• Suspend, cancel or postpone physical exertion & outdoor activities

• Arrange for theoretical learning of PE/visits (indoor)

Other EDB reference materials

Safety Precautions in PE for HK Schools (1999) （ under review ）　 Safety Precautions in School Games Day （ EDBC004/2001 ） Safety Precautions in School Swimming Galas, Lessons and Training

（ EDBC001/2000B ） Safety Precautions in School Athletic Meets, Lessons and Training

（ EDBC004/2000B ） Curriculum documents for PE Key Learning Area (KLA)

PE KLA Curriculum Guide (P1-S3) (2002) PE KLA Curriculum and Assessment Guide (S4- 6) (2007)

Guide to the Pre-primary Curriculum (2006) Guide on Outdoor Activities (2008) School Administration Guide (2010)

Thank You!