Paintball Safety
Gloves, Mask and a Cautious Stance
Paintball has thousands of players throughout America and the world. Many organizations sponsor this extreme game at many venues across America. Although originally created for fun, many devotees take this game very seriously now. It is actually one of the most popular games in the world.
Although only paint is being fired, this game can be potentially dangerous, with players getting carried away in the heat of the action, and it is very important to maintain safe practices. Safety is important in all aspects of paintball, from the clothes worn to the types of weapons used.
Protective equipment must be worn at all times while inside the playing field - pads for the elbows, chest and knees, gloves, and a face mask, to protect the ears, eyes, nose and mouth. Considering the rough terrain the game is normally played on, it's advisable to wear rubber-soled shoes as well.
Safety is important in all aspects of paintball.
Guns have to be inspected before every match, to make sure they do not exceed the maximum velocity allowed. The paintballs must not travel faster than 300 feet per second, or they could seriously injure the participants.
Whenever masks are off, barrel plugs or barrel socks have to be used. It's not difficult to observe this simple requirement - at the end of the match, everyone deploys their barrel guard before any masks are removed. If people did this, and avoided messing with their guns without protection in the staging area, most of the serious paintballing accidents would be eliminated.
Hard Paintball Action
In the heat of action, the facemask could fall off, or it could fog due to paint, dirt or sweat. The referee should be called immediately this occurs, so the facemask can be cleaned off field, or put back on again. Until the player returns to the firing zone, opponents are not allowed to fire at him.
Paintballing is supposed to be a fun activity, so, obviously, it is a no-bodily-contact game. Cursing at opponents is forbidden, and striking another player is definitely not allowed. The only valid activity is shooting paint at your opponents to eliminate them.
Opponents can be given the chance to surrender, but if they show any kind of hostile intent, the only option is to shoot them with paint.
Event organizers should erect safety nets around the playing area, and anyone watching should be required to remain a certain distance away from the game zone to avoid any chance of being hit by stray paintballs.
As with every other sport, safety is a prime concern of paintball. Safety rules are meant to ensure that participants and fans can get the maximum enjoyment from this activity while avoiding any danger of injury to themselves or others.
Also see:
Paintball Safety - Using your Head
Paintball FAQ - Information - Research
Paintball Masks and Goggles - How to choose whats best for you
Written by VampireSkunk and Posted by Redwood on 04/07/2010
