Baseball Field Maintenance Preseason Ball Park Audit Checklist adapted from Pre-Season Ground Audit July 2005

Playing Surface – Infield Dirt Area Soil • too loose to provide good running traction or balls die instead of bouncing. • surface is not loose enough around sliding zones for safe sliding or balls bounce too high. • too abrasive (rocks, etc) for safe sliding. • too compacted to provide good drainage. Running paths / Sliding zones – have become worn and dip down near bases and need to be leveled off. Batter’s box / Home plate / Pitcher’s mound – have become worn and uneven. Pitching mound – does not include the proper ‘table’ area at the top of mound behind and to the sides of the rubber. Infield area – has low spots, holes or is not level and should be dragged / re-graded. Soil build-up – there is a hazardous lip or rolling hump between the skinned area and the turf. Skinned areas – have unsafe wet spots and / or puddles. Warning track – there is no track or it is less than 10 feet wide. Warning track – is overgrown with vegetation and / or uneven in grade. Watch out for unmarked sprinkler boxes in this area. Foul areas – are uneven in grade, need reconditioning, or are overgrown with vegetation.

Playing Surface – Grass Checklist Bare spots – hard soil surface exposed. Soil sub-surface – is roughly graded making an unsafe running surface. Grass edges – grass to dirt area is not a straight line, is not level, or turf is worn too back from proper line. Soil sub-surface – is too wet or drains poorly making an unsafe running surface. Sprinklers – stick up above the dirt level and could cause a player to trip. Texture, density or height – turf is not uniform making an unsafe running surface. Irrigation – irrigation system does not adequately cover turf areas or comes on during practices or games. Thatch – excessive thatch is causing turf to be lumpy and unsafe to run on. Vegetation – there are weeds with thorns, bristles, or burrs in turf. Uneven surfaces – there are animal mounds and holes in the turf area. Tire ruts – there are hazardous tire ruts in turf.

Playing Surface – General Checklist Maintenance equipment – such as rakes, hoses, etc, have been left on the field. Litter and unsafe debris – is scattered around the field and player / spectator areas. Sprinkler heads, drainage grates, valve boxes, etc, - in the field are above grade or have sharp edges or unsafe protrusions or boxes have no covers. Accidents – there have been reports from / about players running into surrounding objects such as fencing, light posts, bleachers, etc. Field design – our facility does not comply with recommended field design specifications. May vary from specs provided that the safety of players and spectators is not compromised. Home plate / Field layout – has been unsafely altered. Home plate has been moved back toward the backstop.

Bases & Anchoring Checklist Base coverings – have unsafe rips or gouges. Base framework or hardware – is loose or damaged. Base ground stake – is unsafely protruding above the surface grade. Base ground stake – is out of alignment or not level with the surface. Base ground stake – is not firmly secured in its concrete footing. Base ground stake – and its footing are not installed according to the manufacturer’s requirements. Bases – do not seat properly with the ground elevation or they are seated loosely. Bases – are not entirely within fair territory when foul line is drawn from home plate to foul pole. Concrete footings – have rounded edges and may twist out of place in the ground. Home plate – surface is not level with the surrounding surface. Corners of plate are turned upward. Home plate – surface is worn or irregular. Pitcher’s rubber – is not level with the surrounding surface or is not secured safely into the ground. Pitcher’s rubber – is showing unsafe wear or gouges. Pitcher rubber and home plate – are not aligned with each other and angle off.

Fencing Checklist Fence posts – • are loose or improperly set in the ground. • are on the inside of the playing area. Dome caps – all dome caps are not in place. Concrete footings – are exposed above ground. Fencing – is not securely attached to the fence posts with loose or broken ties; boards not securely attached to anchor frame. Gaps – there are unsafe gaps under fencing. Bottom of fence – there is no bottom tension wire or railing to secure the bottom of fence; there are gaps between the bottom of the fence and the dirt. Top rail – there is no top railing to secure fence. Chain link – wire ends are exposed along the top. Protrusions – there are damaged portions of fencing that are loose, sharp, or unsafe. Gates - are hard to open / close. Hinge or latch problems. Backstop – there are unsafe gaps or netting with worn out boards or fencing. Outfield fence – temporary fence is sturdy and not collapsible.

Spectator Area Checklist Nuts and bolts – on the seating area are loose or missing or protruding. Guard railing – side and back protective railing is not in place and solid. End caps – plank or railing end caps are loose or missing. Walking surfaces – are uneven and inaccessible. Steps – are even and accessible. Wooden planks – are worn out or splintered. Grandstand – there are gaps between adjacent units. Grandstand – adjacent units do not match in size. Other – there are hazardous protrusions, edges, drop offs, gaps, or pinch points.

General Safety Checklist Foul lines – skinned foul lines have become rutted. Chalking material – use is irritating to the eyes. Lime or similar base should not be used. Signage – there are no warning signs posted informing players or spectators of rules or hazardous conditions. Comforts – there are no clean restrooms for convenience. Concessions – facility is not checked for safety and compliance with local health regulations. Construction areas – areas that are hazardous or under repair have not been blocked off or identified. Communications – is not happening between the maintenance staff and the facility users. Personal protective equipment – was not distributed to all employees / volunteers based on the tasks at hand. Car Parking – general lighting problems, potholes, or not accessible from ball park. Orientation – employees /volunteers did not received safety orientation for job tasks and the operation of power equipment.

Dugout Checklist Fencing – does not extend to the end of the dugout area. Benches – are worn and in disrepair. Equipment – storage system is sharp, worn and unsafe. Waste containers – supply and location is inadequate. Player area – is not large enough to house all players or their equipment.

Lighting Checklist Lighting system – Mandatory that an audit/check to be completed by qualified personnel in accordance with AS 2650 before season commences. Light bulbs – there are burned out light bulbs. Utility poles – there is no padding for the light poles, concrete bases or base bolts.

Baseball Field Checklists    Annual Maintenance |  Daily Maintenance |  Preseason |  Turf Maintenance Home  |  Free Newsletter  |  Contact Us  |  FAQs  |  Baseball Blog