Injury Prevention and Safety Measures in Paintball

Injury Prevention and Safety Measures in Paintball

Paintball, air soft, and any extreme sport where projectiles are shot from a gun is considered a dangerous activity. There are many safety rules and regulations that are enforced at Paintball USA. Common sense is key. https://www.paintballusa.org/ 

When guests arrive at the paintball park, they fill out waivers and watch a short safety video explaining a few simple facts about gun and game safety. A referee will chronograph every paintball gun before a player joins a game. A chronograph machine measures the velocity in which a paintball is shot from a gun. The regulatory speed for a rental marker is 260 fps (feet per second). 

Self-equipped players that bring in their own custom guns are allowed to have their velocity adjusted to 280 fps. Any velocity higher than 280 is considered “shooting hot”, which is not allowed at Paintball USA. Referees keep games separate for players using their own guns from those using rental equipment. The faster the velocity is set on a gun, the harder the paintball will feel when hit.https://www.paintballusa.org/location

The rules of gun safety are explained before the games begin. 

• Always keep the barrel cover on. The only time a barrel cover can be removed is when you are in a game or target range.
• Never look down the barrel of a paintball gun.
• Keep the safety button on when your gun is not in use. It is located to the left of the trigger.
• If you are a self-equipped player, make sure you have a barrel cover.
• Guns are not to be shot anywhere except on the playing field or target range.

Rules of safe game play.

• Never remove your safety mask while on the playing field or target range. 
• No shooting a player closer than ten feet.
• No shooting a player more than three times.
• Shooting your marker up in the air, know as “blind firing” is not allowed.
• No foul language or fighting during games. 

Alcohol isn’t allowed anywhere on premises. Some people become agitated when drinking alcoholic beverages. It’s important to maintain your aggression when you get hit with a paintball. The sport is all about fun. In addition, alcohol is dehydrating, so it is definitely a bad idea health wise to drink and play an outdoor strenuous sport like paintball. Some have gotten sun stroke from combining the two.

Paintball USA has designed a sheet of helpful hints on how to dress for player’s safety. Layer up. Sweats are best, weather permitting. https://www.paintballusa.org/welcome-information

• Long pants that are easy to move around in, such as sweats and leggings.
• Long sleeves, preferably sweatshirts, jackets, and hoodies.
• Gloves. Fingers get shot frequently.
• Neck protection, scarves, bandannas, shemaghs. 
• Hats of any kind.
• Sports cleats, hiking boots, or athletic shoes with grip on the sole.

Parents that are hosting birthday parties need to pass along the helpful hints on how to dress to the guests they are inviting, so players do not show up to participate in paintball games wearing shorts and a tee-shirt. Getting hit on bare skin hurts worse than if you have a layer or two of clothing between you and the paintball.