SECTION 311.218. Safety Equipment

(a) Helmets. Any licensee mounted on a horse or stable pony on association grounds must wear a properly secured safety helmet at all times. Additionally, all members of the starting gate crew must adhere to this regulation at all times while performing their duties or handling a horse. For the purpose of this regulation, a member of the starting crew means any person licensed as an assistant starter or any licensee who handles a horse in the starting gate. The helmet must comply with one of the following minimum safety standards or later revisions:

(1) American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM1163);

(2) UK Standards (EN-1384 and PAS-015); or

(3) Australian/New Zealand Standard (AS/NZ 3838).

(b) Vests. Any licensee mounted on a horse or stable pony on the association grounds must wear a properly-secured safety vest at all times. Additionally, all members of the starting gate crew must also adhere to this regulation at all times while performing their duties or handling a horse. For the purpose of this regulation, a member of the starting gate crew means any person licensed as an assistant starter or any licensee who handles a horse at the starting gate. The safety vest must comply with one of the following minimum standards or later revisions:

(1) British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA):2000 Level 1;

(2) Euro Norm (EN) 13158:2000 Level 1;

(3) American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F2681-08 or F1937;

(4) Shoe and Allied Trade Research Association (SATRA) Jockey Vest Document M6 Issue 3; or

(5) Australian Racing Board (ARB) Standard 1.1998.

(c) A safety helmet or a safety vest shall not be altered in any manner nor shall the product marking be removed or defaced.

Source Note: The provisions of this §311.218 adopted to be effective October 19, 2015, 40 TexReg 7220