On-Field Safety

You’ve probably heard that paintball is safer than golf, bowling, tennis, sleeping, walking, breathing.....whatever. I’m thinking that those so-called insurance safety statistics are probably slightly slanted. What do you think? Paintball is safer than golf? Bowling? When was the last time you heard of someone breaking an ankle golfing? How many bowlers do you know that have torn ligaments while practicing for the big bowl-o-rama event? Get real.

Let’s just say right now that if you are wearing paintball goggles with ear, eye, face, and cheek protection, you are not going to get seriously hurt playing paintball unless you do something really unintelligent. Paintball goggles are defined as a goggle/mask system manufactured specifically for paintball use. In other words ski goggles, motocross goggles, shop goggles, or your favorite Ray-Bans will not work playing paintball. At 200 miles per hour, a paintball hit won’t even be slowed down by any of those. Got it?

So now you’re on the field wearing good quality paintball goggles and you’re in the flag station waiting for the game to start. You’re already in trouble. Have you picked out you’re running route to the bunker you’re going to get shot out of? If you didn’t, how do you know that there’s no hazard on the way to your bunker? I’ve seen barbed-wire, glass, boulders, and everything else that doesn’t belong on the field....on the field. Check out the field before you play it.

Still in the flag station? Is everyone there with you wearing their goggles? If not why is your barrel plug out? Ready to start the game? I’m assuming you’ve made it to your bunker (big assumption eh?). Let’s say it’s ten minutes into the game and you’re still playing. Oops, you’re hit. Do not remove your goggles. Just because you are hit, never assume that the eight other people will stop shooting at you. They can’t tell whether you’re hit or not. Never remove your goggles until you are back at the staging area or in a designated netted safe zone.

I’m going to guess that in the next game you won’t be eliminated. Actually you’re going to get a flag pull. Cool eh? Now you’re in that same bunker, but this time you figured how not to get eliminated. Whatever skill you used to get to your bunker to start the game will probably get you to your next move--safely. Now is no time to be climbing trees to get a better angel on someone. This is not the time to jump over a bunker either. It’s not a good idea to turn up your velocity so you can get the guy way in the back part of the field. As a matter of fact, you should never do any of those things on the paintball field. The rules don’t allow it and neither should your brain. Use common sense on the field. That’s what safety is all about.

Still with me? Good. You just pulled the flag and you want to go hang it and be the hero. You’re just like me. Unless you are in excellent shape (and I don’t mean “round”) you don’t want to sprint the length of the field for the hang. Say it with me class, “heart attack.” Play within your abilities. Be honest with yourself. Not everyone is the perfect health specimen, not even me.

You know, playing paintball is pretty safe if you use common sense. Like anything else in life, you start out with a clean slate in paintball and only you can screw it up for the most part. It’s your sport. Do your part to keep it fun and safe, even if that means power-walking the flag back for the hang.