Explicit consent is needed for all activities, including photography. ASK FIRST.
Treat everyone in the space with respect. If you have concerns about anyone’s presence or play, ask a staff person.
NO penetration of any kind is permitted by the city.
NO blood play, sharps, wet/messy play or smoking are allowed by the city.
No guns or firearms allowed, whether real or facsimiles.
No illegal activities, including but not limited to illegal substances or solicitation/sex work as mandated by the city, state and federal law.
The house safewords are RED and SAFEWORD. If a player uses either of those safewords, Playground Staff will intervene.
Keep it clean: Protect the play surfaces during your play. CLEAN UP the equipment afterwards.
Limit social conversation in the play area, and don’t crowd anyone else’s scene. Be a RESPECTFUL voyeur!
Do not sit on the play equipment or in the play stations, unless you are playing. Do not congregate or socialize at play stations unless you are involved in a scene in progress. Spectators must always give way to players, even if it means leaving a play area.
Never touch someone else, their toys, props or property without asking and receiving permission. Remember that NO means NO.
Each player is responsible for assessing their own risks and playing within their skill and interest level.
If a scene upsets or triggers you, please take care of yourself and have a person that you can check in with. If you experience or witness any non consensual behavior, please notify Playground staff as soon as possible.
THE PLAYSPACE CREW is responsible for ensuring a safe, enjoyable play environment, if you have questions, please reach out to a lead volunteer.
A playspace crew member’s first job is to ensure that everyone in the space, playing or not, is respected, ensuring a safe(r), enjoyable play environment. This means keeping things respectful, legal and safe(r) while NOT interfering with play as MUCH as possible.
As a crew member you may be expected to perform the following roles:
LIFEGUARD: Your primary task is to monitor the play area with an eye towards assistance, risk assessment and interruption only when necessary.
GUIDE: As a crew member, people will be asking you where to find the bathroom, accessibility questions, cleaning supplies, etc.
AGREEMENT ENFORCEMENT: You are NOT a cop and you are NOT Folsom safety team, you are serving the play space by creating safety and therefore must know the play space rules. Call on a lead volunteer if you are unsure in the moment.
CROWD MANAGER: Part of creating safety is keeping crowds from infringing on scenes in progress, and preventing scenes from spilling out of intended play areas.
MEDICAL ASSISTANT: Do not attempt first aid unless you have first aid training. Folsom Street Events has an extensive medical team. If you do have experience, you may be called upon to provide basic medical and first aid assistance, prior to the arrival, if necessary, of professional medical staff. Notify the lead volunteer if there is an injury.
Again, you are NOT a cop, nor a hall monitor. You are a co-host. As one of the hosts in a space you don't want anyone injured (non-consensually), you don't want your space wrecked and you want all your guests to have a great time. The goal is a fun, safe(r) and effective play area. Please make your conduct be a credit to Folsom Street Events.
PLAYSPACE CREW DUTIES
To do your best to make the space physically and emotionally safer for ALL participants. To be respectful, friendly and courteous.
To provide orientation and assistance.
To facilitate non-verbal interruption of scenes when necessary.
To facilitate verbal interruption of scene when necessary.
To demonstrate a clear and concise understanding of safety and your role in it. To demonstrate at least a casual, if not intimate, knowledge of various types of play.
To supervise all SM activities in the play areas and take appropriate steps to ensure the safety of all participants.
To be familiar with playspace agreements and to ensure those agreements are being respected.
To monitor play activities for danger signs and substantial breaches of safety.
To assist players with minor injuries as necessary. Contact the lead volunteer, as soon as you encounter a medical emergency.
To keep scenes ‘snark-free’. In other words, redirect those talking near a scene to the social area.
BEFORE YOUR SHIFT
1. Study both the playspace agreements and this guide.
2. Report to your shift a few minutes early: Familiarize yourself with the play area, and get a feel for any scenes in progress and the mood of the play area in general. Check in with the lead volunteer who may have specific information.
3. Get an appraisal from the crew member you are relieving. Find out about any key events of their shift. Get a feel for the room. Are heavy scenes underway? Scenes that seem risky? Or have riskier scenes been pre-arranged with dungeon monitors already on shift? Anyone with known health issues?
DURING YOUR SHIFT
Cover the entire play area with the aim of facilitating a safe(r) and enjoyable time for all. Keep social conversations to a minimum while you’re working.
Look: Watch the activity in the play area. Keep your eyes moving; focus actively but not exclusively on the play. Watch also for over-obtrusive voyeurs, drug use, drunkenness, or over-aggressive come-ons. Watch analytically, with an eye towards safety in the area. There will be time for voyeurism after your shift. Watch for suspicious activity, people upset with others getting in their line of sight. Look at clothing/hats/belt buckles, bags beware of and look for hidden audio or video recording devices. Notify the lead volunteer of any issues.
Listen: Listen for trouble; you may hear something go wrong before you see it. Yelling, screaming, sounds of equipment breakage, or collapse should be investigated immediately. Loud conversation that isn’t part of a scene in play areas should be discouraged. Guide people out of the playspace.
Communicate with other crew members: To share impressions of scenes in progress. To confirm whether interruption is necessary, or whether the playspace coordinator should be called in to have a look.
Answer guest questions and take complaints about behavior/language and enforce play area agreements when necessary.
Monitor for unsafe play: Watch for violations of event etiquette, and if you observe clear violations of event rules or etiquette, you have a right to ask for compliance to play area agreements. Unless the play seems truly hazardous with imminent harm a possibility, obtain a second opinion from the lead volunteer.
Get in the habit of asking whether what you're seeing fits into the following three categories:
Monitor for scenes where you see something that seems worth watching carefully, riskier scenes, loud scenes, scenes with less experienced players.
Interrupt scenes that for any reason require behoove your interruption, for help, for a clarification.
Stop scenes which require you to suspend some action on the part of the participants (though not a suspension of the individuals; suspending someone from the play area needs to be done by the lead volunteer). If you interrupt a scene, you will be required to write a report detailing the interruption.
Notify the playspace coordinator or lead volunteer if an area needs clean-up, sterilization or if there are spills of any kind.
This section talks about common issues that playspace crew should watch for. We have grouped these potential signs into three categories of response:
Monitor: These things may or may not be a problem. This includes harmless oversights, mildly risky behavior, or advanced play by experienced players. Make no interruption, but stay alert.
Interrupt: This response is warranted in situations where interruption is appropriate. This does not necessarily mean that a violation of safer(r) play has occurred. Interruption can and should be done for a number of valid reasons.
When you feel you should interrupt, try to confirm with another volunteer, make sure that your point of concern has a legitimate basis in the playspace agreements and is not influenced by your personal likes and dislikes. All attendees have signed a pledge to abide by the playspace agreements. Determine the level of response needed, and act. Try to non-verbally interrupt, but if that is not possible, get the attention of the person who appears to be in charge of the scene and signal them aside.
When you interrupt: Use a calm, professional, friendly tone. Do not be smug or bossy. Good: "May I speak with you for a moment?" Bad: “You need to stop that RIGHT NOW!”
Explain your concern to the involved party; point out the area of your concern in the playspace agreements. Explain that written playspace agreements must be enforced on a no exception basis and that play outside those parameters must be conducted elsewhere in private.
Be firm in your resolve that the playspace agreements be followed. You may choose to suspend the scene.
If the problem persists interrupt again and notify the lead volunteer. If the lead volunteer overrides your decision - take it in stride, and continue your shift.
Stop: These things are either so clearly in violation of SSC/RACK/PRICK that they should not be permitted regardless of circumstance. This does not mean suspend the individual’s right to play, but the behavior must cease and desist. Stop orders are also appropriate when repeat warnings from the playspace crew member have not been heeded. Again, be polite and helpful, but firm and make sure you have consulted the playspace coordinator or lead volunteer.
Some (non-comprehensive) examples of how to use this system:
Monitor
The time people are using equipment when the play area is crowded and people are waiting for equipment.
Anyone who appears to be under the influence of substances, including endorphins.
That any bodily fluids on the floor or equipment are cleaned up promptly.
Scenes involving use of a gag for breathing difficulties, loss of consciousness.
Interrupt
If individuals are using area/equipment for longer than 60 minutes when people are waiting to use it.
To inform players that they have exceeded a safety threshold.
At any violation of posted play area rules.
At the sound of the event safe word(s): "red" or "safeword”.
In arguments or loud offensive speech involving race, religion, or orientation where the participants have not notified a DM.
If there’s weeping, screaming or conduct disturbing other players leading to complaints where the participants have not notified a DM.
If a participant is having breathing difficulties: gasping, wheezing, unable to catch breath or showing signs of severe medical distress.
On scenes impeding the flow of traffic and/or endangering onlookers.
If a participant is unresponsive and cannot communicate through voice or hand signals (while you speak with the participants have another crew member notify the lead volunteer immediately.
Bondage scenes lacking emergency release tools, such as knife, shears, bolt cutter, or hacksaw.
Bondage scenes where the bottom exhibits noticeable swelling from bondage or weights.
If a bound player is left alone with no spotter.
If a flogger or whip is infringing on other scenes.
If the top is striking hard on bones or organs, especially kidneys, spine, neck and head.
Scenes where wrist bondage appears too tight. The ability to insert two fingers is the medical standard for any kind of restraint.
When a play area is vacated without cleanup.
Stop
Any individuals needing repeated warnings.
If you observe ropes or collar around the neck are fastened to an attachment point in such a way that could result in strangulation in the event of a fall.
If you observe noosing around genitalia or body jewelry that could result in trauma in the event of a fall. Any scene involving standing mummification without a spotter.
Watersports/scat/messy play. No exceptions.
If any emergency situation arises:
Stay calm and notify the lead volunteer. DO NOT CALL 911, USE THE RADIO TO CONTACT SAFETY/MEDICAL
Please know the play space rules like the back of your hand.
Please know you are here to help make The Playground a thoroughly enjoyable space for everyone who attends. That means you too.
The code word is ambrosia.