sunlight which causes melting snow and resulting bare spots arid ice patches when it refreezes.

Supervision

No legal duty exists to supervise a public sled hill. Despite the fact that no legal duty exists, many agencies choose to provide supervision to enforce rules, provide first aid, and open/close the sled hill. Given this choice, PDRMA has seen that liability can increase due to a voluntary undertaking to supervise. Current Illinois law provides absolute statutory immunity for actions arising out of supervision. However, recent legislative efforts have been aimed at limiting the supervisory immunity. What does all this mean? If you decide to supervise the hills, you had better do it right. Sled hill attendants tackling patrons on sleds, pushing patrons, and punching patrons are examples of what not to do. One of the main ways to avoid liability associated with sled hill attendants is to train them. At a minimum, the following should be part of the hill attendant's orientation.

· Emergency response procedures

· First aid I CPR

· Sled hill rules I enforcement procedures

· Conditions resulting in hill closure

· Proper posting and maintenance of signs

· Hill inspection procedures

· Admission of fault alter an accident

· Non-participation in sledding activities

· Incident/accident reporting procedures

Preseason Setup

Before the snow falls, conduct a preseason hill inspection, identify hazards and develop a plan to eliminate the hazard. (See the sample preseason sled hill checklist on this page.) Documentation of both the preseason inspection and follow-up corrections are critical at this point.

Documentation is needed for two reasons. First, you want a system to make sure all noted hazards have been addressed. Second, if someone is injured and brings a claim against your agency, you need to be able to prove you have taken steps in an effort to prevent the injury.

After the inspection has been completed and the hazards addressed, the sled hill signs need to be installed. If a warming house is provided at the sled hill, it too needs to be inspected inside and out. The final point of preparation for the preseason setup is to assign an individual or a specific department that will conduct the daily sled hill inspections.

Inspection

Regular inspections are important to identify new hazards that might develop before an injury occurs. Inspections, like preseason checks, might be needed to prove you are taking preventative measures. The focus of the inspections should be on prevention of hazards with a secondary use as a legal defense if an injury claim arises. Inspections should be performed on a routine basis.

Daily inspections are recommended, however, if this is not possible, weekly is acceptable. The important point is that once a routine is established,