Air Training should it be a prerequisite before you are allowed to self fill.

[Devrij]

This sounds like an awesome idea, and the only real issue is making it practical. I know our local site shows a safety video to the punters before they play, could something of this sort (but specially for air/filling safety) be made to show at all events? That'd make it cheap and easy for everyone with maybe a few initial costs? I haven't attended a course so if this is impractical for the situation (or for sites) please forgive my ignorance.

 

[darren maskell]

Ive been filling bottles for years and i fill around 200 per week and i still dont no everything so hell yes i did'nt even know there was such a course so where can i do it and when.Ghandi

 

[Russell Smith]

The answer should be obvious. But the solution must be practical and workable. Requiring everyone to take a day-long course in air safety would be an impossible exercise, and the only option would be to disallow self-filling of bottles altogether. If we're talking about a 20-minute group course, that's quite reasonable to expect players to take part in. What kind of training are we talking about?

This is the air supply document supplied by the UKPSF that will come into force at the PA at the earliest practicable opportunity.
This is only part of what is required, there is also a risk assessment that will have to be done by the organiser and the results complied with.
It also explains what the basic training comprises.

Air Supply Policy

For paintball venues supplying compressed air to customers to fill their own equipment

• It has become more common for paintball players with their own equipment to require the filling of their own paintball cylinders from a paintball venues existing High Pressure Air System.

• It is the policy of The Paintball Association to supply air to customers in the safest way possible.

• For air to be supplied to a customer, the customer must have undergone recognised training in the safety and filling of their own air system. This training must include a general description of High Pressure Air Safety and how this relates to paintball games, notification of their legal obligations, the receipt of document HPA1 which is a general guide to High Pressure Air safety within paintball games. The customer must also have had a verbal and practical demonstration of the correct filling procedures as well as the opportunity to fill their system themselves under one to one instruction before the training is complete.

• All customers must sign a “Confirmation of Training” document which is to be kept by the venue.

• All customers bottles used on the day must undergo a simple visual inspection by a competent person. This inspection must be logged and records kept.

• All customers who have training and subsequently are allowed to use the filling system must be over 18 years of age.

• On successful completion of the training course, the customer will be issued with an “Air Pass” which will contain information on their identity, the training venue, the trainer and trainers signature and also the expiry date of the training which will be one year from the date of training.

• The system for filling customers bottles must comply with current UK legislation as documented in the venues own written schedule.

• A risk assessment must have been carried out on the supply of air to customers and must be adhered to.

• A risk assessment must also have been carried out on the venues air supply system which includes the risks to the customer and staff operating the air system.

• The provision of protective clothing including ear and eye protection will also be made available this is known as correct PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)

Russ

 

[SAMUEL.D.RYAN]

I agree with all of this, apart from the age limit.
I think an age limit will not do much to encourage safety, but I think it will actively discourage younger teams from participating in tournaments, and it creates an unnecessary hassle in the running of a young team.

I'm not really sure what you could do instead of an age limit. You could lower the number, but then people will start asking why there is an age limit at all.

Just my two cents

 

[Dark Warrior]

If it is deemed that you have to be an adult to fill then 18 it is, note any one with young players in their team already accepts the responsibility. Remember that between the ages of 12 and 17 you can only use paintball guns with adult supervision. That adult or site operative will have to be available to fill for them

 

[Kitty]

Not that this will affect me and personally I think it is a good idea. But will these courses be avaiable at a tournement venue? I am assuming these rules will affect tourneys were teams from other countries will attend and thus for a while at least won't have an air pass. I think the idea is excellent and overdue x

 

[Dark Warrior]

Nice point - Millennium teams are given written instructions at every event, no matter whether they have played before or not. Visiting players at domestic events will be catered for on the day by a prescribed official. Language may be a problem but if the team have booked in advance then the organiser can make provision for a native transcript to be prepared

 

[wonderboy]

much as i hate to agree with dark warrior on anything he has this spot on. yes this is far more important than the 12 balls per second rule and now being the start of the season is the perfecct time to implement it. I'm perfectly sure that trevor or tim would be more than prepared to sit everyone down at the start of an event and run them through the do's and don'ts and i'm sure its not beyond reason to have some sort of card to say you've attended before you use a fill rig. Only last event wendy was saying how many new players were at the event- how many of these know how to safely maintain a gas bottle? I enjoy having 2 arms and 2 legs and dont want to lose any because somebody has decided to wd40 their reg!

 

[Dark Warrior]

much as i hate to agree with dark warrior on anything he has this spot on.

I knew somebody hated me

 

[MsHell]

Ok this may be a stupid question because it may have already been answered (and I'd rather ask a stupid question then stay ignorant).

But would the training/course/talk be done at an event or would we need to travel somewhere to do this?

If so is there any information about where and when we can do this?

Thank you for any help