John both WS and USS have put out guidelines for COVID. Both encourage OA’s to require safety measures where and when social distancing can’t be accomplished.  IMO you are on good ground, especially if you can get this face cover requirement in the NOR/SI’s and if you have a box of disposables handy for anyone who doesn’t have one. 

Also, if possible I would hold hearings in an “open” area under cover instead of indoors.  

Ang, We are definitely trying to be in an open area.

I believe it is a question more of "must you require," rather than "can you require."
The health authorities in your area will have requirements. No matter what the rules say, you have to be in compliance with those. Further, your organization is likely to be able to impose mask wearing with no notice, as long as it provides masks. 

I concur with Ang.  This is from US Sailing;
Q3: What PPE should we have for staff, volunteers, and participants? Where do we get it?
A3: At minimum, facemasks should be worn when around others. Masks and gloves can be
acquired through medical supply houses - you should talk to your program’s medical advisor
who may be a physician/nurse. Cloth or homemade facemasks are also acceptable, including
neck gaiters (similar to Buffs™).
• Screeners should wear mask/face covering, gloves, and eye protection
(sunglasses are acceptable) and maintain safe distance of 6 feet or greater when
possible
• All staff should wear a face covering over their nose and mouth when on shore.
• Participants should bring their own face coverings and wear them when on
shore.

As long as you don't deny them any rights reserved for them in the rules, Make em wear masks.

While racing has yet to resume in my part of the country, COVID-19 containment measures are very much on the agenda of race officials and organizers. Some have expressed concern about including health and safety guidance (including incorporation by reference) in race documents. Specifically questions include:

1. If particular health and safety measures are included in race documents, should competitors be allowed to protest infractions? If these provisions are designated 'not protestable' (NP) for competitors, what administrative provisions should race organizers consider to equitably enforce them?

2. Should provisions be added to the race documents allowing protest committees to impose discretionary penalties for health and safety infractions. If so, what supporting guidance (if any) should be provided to evaluate the severity of any particular infraction, as well as the appropriate penalty if less than disqualification?

As an alternative to including specific health and safety provisions in race documents, others recommend that:

1. Health and safety policies be issued by management of the facility where the event will take place, such as a yacht club or sailing center. 

2. Access to the venue would be dependent on whatever policies management deems appropriate; responsibility for enforcing those policies would fall initially to managers of the venue, in consultation with race officials and the event organizer.

3. Competitors who refuse to comply with the health and safety policies of the venue would be subject to report and disciplinary action under RRS 69.

Thoughts welcome.

First of all, congrats for being able to run an event at all.  But please note the risks are very high, unless you somehow have a very small number of single-handed boats. So you're probably on the outside edge of a safe situation.

Therefore, hearings outside; absolutely not in a closed room. Everyone masked, jury and competitors alike. Should be in the NOR for the whole event.  Make it an NP issue so the OA understands clearly it's their responsibility to enforce.  Penalty can be places or DSQ or DNE, as you wish.  If anyone doesn't like it (I understand wearing of masks is a political issue in your country) you should be quick to enforce.  Probably will only need one DNE to get your point across.  If someone doesn't want to comply (friend, parent, hanger-on) I'm with Ric.  Require them to leave the venue.

Also consider 
1. how best to protect older people for whom the downside is a much higher chance of death.
2. that not following guidelines could be reckless indifference or negligence or a breach of local health orders or a criminal offence, even if only a misdemeanor. The last thing any organiser or official needs is a legal hassle or law suit.
3. what you need in various documents to enable enforcement
4. that once you put it in a document you really need enforce it appropriately

Do not forget the simple things.
Try not to sit opposite each other.
Different boats for each competitor and witness then sanitize.
Try to issue protest forms electronically so no one has to hold the paper.
have an electronic notice board so competitors do not have to go to a physical board (same fro results).

... and speaking of electronic protest forms ...

1) Of course if you use the system that Paul built here on RRoS, they can file a protest from their mobile phone using the RRoS mobile app!!

2) Last Summer, I built both a protest-generator (Q&A using Google forms) and a Google Doc version of the standard protest form.  They are both still working (I checked last week). Anyone is welcome to use them.

Links to GoogleDocs Protest Forms
Click: Create Protest Form Q&A To generate a completed Protest Form from a Q&A and automatically email yourself and/or the RaceOffice (RO email is optional).

Click: Blank Protest Form (Google Doc) To access a blank .gDOC copy of this form to fill-in manually (no Q&A or auto-email).

(Note: To edit either Protest Form in Google Docs (Q&A-completed or blank), log-in to your Google account and save the gDOC file to your Google Drive)


PS:  You can always have the above links emailed to you by sending an email to: protestform@gmail.com with any of these words in the subject: form/forms/protest

I think that’s really passing-the-buck. It’s our sport and as officials, IMO, it’s our responsibility to not only protect our participants and volunteers but also the perception and reputation of the sport. 

We need to work hard to figure it out the best we can and be willing to stand and take the slings and arrows when we fall short of perfection and require something that is unpopular.