Staying Safe On The Battlefield

While paintballing is a fun and exciting game for everyone, there are still a number of safety tips which you should observe to keep yourself and other players safe. While paintballing is generally a safe game, things can still go wrong and injuries can still occur. Read through our safety tips to help you stay protected while paintballing. Alcohol/Drugs – You should never, under any circumstances, go paintballing if you are under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs or prescription medication. You must be fully coherent to play this game and if you are not then you should wait until you are. Blind Firing – Always make sure you know exactly where and what you’re shooting at, if you start randomly blind firing then the chances are you may hit another player exiting the field or even a referee. You don’t want to shoot at something you shouldn’t shoot, so always keep an eye on where you are firing. Do NOT fire at wildlife as animal cruelty is illegal. Barrel Plugs – A barrel plug is something that goes on the end of your gun to prevent it from firing, it is extremely important that you keep this on until all players have put on their masks, a paintball being fired at the face will be extremely unpleasant. Paintball Speed – Keep your paintball speed to around 280 FPS (feet per second), anything higher than this can cause damage to the skin, while 280 or lower will just bruise. Use Common Sense – If every player uses common sense then the majority of accidents and injuries that can occur in paintball, probably won’t. Most, if not all, paintballing sites will require you to sign a form saying that you understand the rules of the site. Equipment – Make sure the equipment you are using is safe, especially if you bring your own paintball marker. In many cases, the paintball site may provide you with a marker. Keep your marker maintained to ensure it stays safe for use. Keep your CO2 tank inspected as recommended by the manufacturer as there is a high risk of serious injury or death if the nozzle comes off; also keep your eyes away from the air release valve. Wear Safety Equipment – Make sure you wear all safety equipment while on the battlefield, you can either purchase your own equipment or use the equipment provided by the paintball site. The most important piece of safety equipment is the mask; you need to wear this all the time during play, you should not remove it at any point while a game is in session. Always wear goggles as a paintball travelling at over 200 fps could easily take your eye out. Know Your Equipment – Read through the user manual of your equipment, it is important to know how to use the equipment and it will also teach you how to properly take care of it to ensure maximum life span and it operates how it should be operating. All of the safety tips we have listed are important and you should make sure you follow all of them. We have listed these tips for your safety as well as the safety of everyone else in the game and the referees.