Suggested safety checklist

[Marchborne]

EErk, don't get me started, then...

Liz:

Only problem is, I draft/edit/interpret rules and regs for a living. So, when I respond to something like this outside of work, I have to preface it with apologies, before my mates tell me I'm getting obsessive...

Wadidiz: are you tring to keep this simple, or going comprehensive?

"ita lex scripta est"
"So the law is written."

 

[Wadidiz]

Marchborne

Originally posted by Liz
I think he WANTS us to nitpick this time. It's the kind of thing that really has to be got right & Wadidiz has started the ball rolling.

Yes, what is helpful is a combination of careful, exact, but understandable wording.

I need to balance this with what you said, Liz:

Trouble is, if you make rules & guidance too stringent then none of them will be followed 'cause of the difficulty in complying with some.

The goggle problem is the best example. I believe the goggle manufacturers have a point about the weakening of their systems after being hit but I suspect they are "padding" their safety warnings to protect themselves from liability cases. It certainly doesn't hurt their cause if they sell more lenses either.

I personally balance my desire to keep my eyesight intact with my budget limitations. I don't see myself going out and buying new lenses everytime I get gogged.

But I don't trust the paintball park owners to care about safety enough, or as much as I care about my own eyesight, for example. There are some extreme cases of them not doing so here in Sweden. You would think they would see it in their own interest to make doubly sure that some accidents don't take away their livelihoods and investments. And that they would have a more long-term view of things. But they don't.

So that it is clear what my motivations are: we, who care more about safety, are looking for realistic rules and guidelines as minimum safety demands. Reason: if more eyes are lost, or other accidents happen, we jeopardize our sport and our businesses. Legislators and bureaucrats can all too easily "just say no" to paintball and then it is gone forever.

Thus my appreciation for this great feedback.

Steve

 

[Munkeh]

I personally think all these rules should be adhered to by all sites! I personally when rec-balling a while ago saw someone have a nasty accident when a poor fitting barrel bung came out and hit another person in the face! Now im pretty sure theyre not supposed to do that! The explanation we were given at the time was "the barrel bung is there to break the paintball before it leaves the gun" or something along those lines! but apart from me sidetracking good work Wadidiz!

 

[Wadidiz]

Revised safety rules

Here are the revisions so far based on the feedback received on this thread:

FOR RENTAL GROUPS

1. Only competent, sober personnel shall host, instruct and supervise the rental customers and make sure the customers behave in a safe and sportsmanlike manner and follow the safety rules.

2. Customers shall be provided with complete mask systems that are approved for paintball use, are in proper working order and have never been significantly weakened (in the opinion of a qualified, experienced instructor) e.g. by a near, direct hit on the goggles. The lenses shall be relatively fog-free in order to minimize the customers' tendency to pull them off at the wrong times. The paintball park personnel shall make their best effort to provide a proper and comfortable fit for each customer.

3. All markers shall be plugged or have the muzzles covered by a barrel bag (in the case of electronic or other light-triggered markers) any and all times that the markers are in the presence of unmasked people (except for qualified personnel during dismantling and cleaning, which shall be performed in as safe a manner as possible.)

4. All areas where unmasked spectators are allowed to watch games or otherwise be present in the vicinity of paintball games, and all safety zones where people are allowed to be unmasked, shall be properly netted with safe and adequate netting that is high enough to avoid any possibility of paintballs going outside the playing area and striking unmasked people.

5. The consumption of all alcoholic beverages or any other intoxicant shall be expressly forbidden before or during paintball playing. Any customer who is or appears to be intoxicated will be forbidden from participating in the games.

6. There shall be signs that warn of paintball playing and with instructions to put goggles on around playing areas at reasonable (what distances should it be?) intervals.

7. All markers shall be in proper and safe working order and shall have been chronographed so that they do not exceed 300 feet per second. The barrels of the markers shall be kept clean so that the said velocity is not exceeded.

8. All customers shall be properly briefed about the use of their equipment, the safety rules and how to safely play paintball.

9. All propellent tanks shall be approved for the pressures that are applied and shall have a certification that has not expired and are fitted with adequate burst-disks or other overpressure-release systems. All tanks shall be properly maintained and inspected.

10. CO2 tanks shall always be filled using a scale so as to avoid over-filling. Air systems shall never be filled beyond their rated pressure capacity and all gauges used to verify such shall be in proper working order.

11. A chronograph shall be readily available to all personnel to facilitate the control of markers at any time.

12. There shall be a minimum ratio of 1 instructor for every group of 6 players, present with the group.

13. The rental customers shall have a fun and safe time!

14. No sets of equipment shall be rented out for off-site use without qualified instructors present at all times and following the standards listed above. (The only exception would be for individual rental of pieces of equipment to experienced players, for example for tournaments, or practice.)

15. All fields or courts of play shall be free from any obstacles that would likely cause injury, including, but not limited to, glass, sharp rocks, pegs protruding from the ground around bunkers, nail heads that are likely to catch on players, etc. All indoor courts shall be maintained in a reasonably non-slippery way, or knee protection shall be provided for the customers.

16. A first-aid kit/station or first-aid kits/stations shall be made available at all times during the playing of paintball, and their availability and location shall be prominently displayed with standard first-aid signs. All personnel shall be informed about the proper procedures for dealing with eventual accidents. There shall always be some kind of communication system (such as mobile telephones, walky-talkies or other types of communication equipment) near the location of the actual playing so as to facilitate quick access to emergency dispatchers (through 112 or 911 for example).

FOR WALK-ONS AND RECREATIONAL GAMES

In addition to all the above standards that should reasonably be applied:

1. A properly functioning chronograph shall be placed out for safe, easy and convenient use by all customers.

2. All markers used shall be chronographed before play.

3. All customers shall be instructed that their markers are subject to chronographing at any time, at the discretion of the park personnel, or at the request of any customer.

4. All paintball playing shall be done under the supervision of and in the presence of park personnel. There shall be at least one park personnel on fields of play at all times. Personnel shall enforce proper safety and sportsmanlike behavior at all times.

5. All markers shall have their muzzles bagged at all times in goggle-free areas.

6. Any customers who violate the safety rules or behave in an unsportsmanlike way shall be warned once. Thereafter the offending customer will be asked to leave the park. Any customers who have been asked to leave the park 2 times shall be banned from the park. (Customers who have been banned should perhaps be named and/or described to the other paintball parks.)

7. Only markers that have trigger guards, that are semi-automatic only (except for mutually-agreed exceptions to semi-automatic playing), and that are otherwise normally considered safe for tournament use, shall be allowed.
__________________________________________________


That's all I can think of for now. We can take tournament safety another time.

Again, what do you fine people think? Anything need to be added or taken away or adjusted?

Cheers,

Steve

 

[Mark]

Something to add in would be the inclusion for rec/walk-on players to have IN DATE bottle be they CO2 or HPA the same would apply to the site owner for their rental customers 'cos as I read your post you are trying to set up a set of guideline rulings for paintball in your country. the need for this would be self evident that should a bottle fail on a walk-on's marker and it was found to be out of date the site's insurrance would be invalidated.

 

[Wadidiz]

I hear you. The rules for walk-ons are in addition to whatever rules would be applicable from the rules for rental customers. But I will add the rule about certification expiry date inspection to make it clear for walk-ons.

Thanks for your suggestion.

Steve

 

[SPARKLIE CHICK]

Hi sparklie here good luck with what you are doing

I think it is reasonable to exspect the sites to reguarly check their goggles. I make a point of checking for scratches, elasticty of the straps and the surrounding foam ie making sure it is intact and still comfee .

The Ukpsf has the site owners guide an inch thick tomb a lot of the heath and safety stuff won't apply but the fisrt 1/4 of an inch will, I recomend a copy

sparklie

 

[Liz]

A couple more, this time on the walk-on & rec-ball section.

No. 5 doesn't allow for walk-ons to tech/clean their own markers still - this is more what I was thinking about in my earlier comment on barrel plugs/condoms.

No. 7 need to have pumps included - yes, there are a few out there still.

Back in the main section, No. 5 needs to include other illegal drugs, e.g. cannabis can't really be described as a stimulant!

A possible addition on the health & safety front - how about a section on always asking customers about medical conditions e.g. allergies, need for asthma drugs & where they are kept etc.

 

[Wadidiz]

Originally posted by Liz
A couple more, this time on the walk-on & rec-ball section.

No. 5 doesn't allow for walk-ons to tech/clean their own markers still - this is more what I was thinking about in my earlier comment on barrel plugs/condoms.

No. 7 need to have pumps included - yes, there are a few out there still.

Back in the main section, No. 5 needs to include other illegal drugs, e.g. cannabis can't really be described as a stimulant!

A possible addition on the health & safety front - how about a section on always asking customers about medical conditions e.g. allergies, need for asthma drugs & where they are kept etc.

OK.

No. 5: I can add "except for while cleaning and maintaining markers, during which time barrels must me removed, and requisite safey must be observed during such times." or something like that. Any wording suggestions?

No. 7: I'm looking for a way to say that normally rates of fire should be limited to semi-auto modes only. I didn't mean to exclude pumps or stock-gun class markers. Again, open to wording suggestions.

No. 5 from rentals: Don't take my phatty away from me! (Just kidding.) Doesn't "intoxicants" mean the same in British English as in American English? Maybe I should write anything that makes you woozy.

I'll probably have to draw the line somewhere and let people make some judgment calls about medicines. I did mention that anyone who appeared to be intoxicated would not be allowed to participate.

I don't think we can cover ever possible eventuality. But I do appreciate your comments and helping me to think this through.

 

[Wadidiz]

3rd revision of safety checklist

Complete Paintball Playing Safety Checklist
version 3.0

FOR RENTAL CUSTOMERS

1. Only competent, sober personnel shall host, instruct and supervise the rental customers and make sure the customers behave in a safe and sportsmanlike manner and follow the safety rules.

2. Customers shall be provided with complete mask systems that are approved for paintball use, are in proper working order and have never been significantly weakened (in the opinion of a qualified, experienced instructor) e.g. by a near, direct hit on the goggles. What is meant by "complete mask system" is masks that give complete coverage of the face, eyes and ears, such as all the current models made and approved for paintball use. The lenses shall be relatively fog-free in order to minimize the customers' tendency to pull them off at the wrong times. The paintball park personnel shall make their best effort to provide a proper and comfortable fit for each customer.

3. All markers shall be plugged or have the muzzles covered by a barrel bag (in the case of electronic or other light-triggered markers) any and all times that the markers are in the presence of unmasked people (except for qualified personnel during dismantling and cleaning, which shall be performed in as safe a manner as possible.)

4. All areas where unmasked spectators are allowed to watch games or otherwise be present in the vicinity of paintball games, and all safety zones where people are allowed to be unmasked, shall be properly netted with safe and adequate netting that is high enough to avoid any possibility of paintballs going outside the playing area and striking unmasked people.

5. The consumption of all alcoholic beverages or any other intoxicant shall be expressly forbidden before or during paintball playing. Any customer who is or appears to be intoxicated will be forbidden from participating in the games.

6. There shall be signs that warn of paintball playing and with instructions to put goggles on around playing areas at reasonable (what distances should it be?) intervals.

7. All markers shall be in proper and safe working order and shall have been chronographed so that they do not exceed 300 feet per second. The barrels of the markers shall be kept clean so that the said velocity is not exceeded.

8. All customers shall be properly briefed about the use of their equipment, the safety rules and how to safely play paintball.

9. All propellent tanks shall be approved for the pressures that are applied and shall have a certification that has not expired and are fitted with adequate burst-disks or other overpressure-release systems. All tanks shall be properly maintained and inspected.

10. CO2 tanks shall always be filled using a scale so as to avoid over-filling. Air systems shall never be filled beyond their rated pressure capacity and all gauges used to verify such shall be in proper working order.


11. A chronograph shall be readily available to all personnel to facilitate the control of markers at any time.


12. There shall be a minimum ratio of 1 instructor for every group of 6 players, present with the group.


13. The rental customers shall have a fun and safe time!


14. No sets of equipment shall be rented out for off-site use without qualified instructors present at all times and following the standards listed above. (The only exception would be for individual rental of pieces of equipment to experienced players, for example for tournaments, or practice.)


15. All fields or courts of play shall be free from any obstacles that would likely cause injury, including, but not limited to, glass, sharp rocks, pegs protruding from the ground around bunkers, nail heads that are likely to catch on players, etc. All indoor courts shall be maintained in a reasonably non-slippery way, or knee protection shall be provided for the customers.


16. A first-aid kit/station or first-aid kits/stations shall be made available at all times during the playing of paintball, and their availability and location shall be prominently displayed with standard first-aid signs. All personnel shall be informed about the proper procedures for dealing with eventual accidents. There shall always be some kind of communication system (such as mobile telephones, walky-talkies or other types of communication equipment) near the location of the actual playing so as to facilitate quick access to emergency dispatchers (through 112 or 911 for example).



FOR WALK-ONS AND RECREATIONAL GAMES

In addition to all the above standards that should reasonably be applied:

1. A properly functioning chronograph shall be placed out for safe, easy and convenient use by all customers.


2. All markers used shall be chronographed before play.

3. All customers shall be instructed that their markers are subject to chronographing at any time, at the discretion of the park personnel, or at the request of any customer.


4. All paintball playing shall be done under the supervision of and in the presence of park personnel. There shall be at least one park personnel on fields of play at all times. Personnel shall enforce proper safety and sportsmanlike behavior at all times.


5. All markers shall have their muzzles bagged at all times in goggle-free areas, except when barrels are to be cleaned, changed or when markers are being maintained or otherwise worked on. During such times that barrel bags may be reasonably taken off, barrels shall be removed and the utmost care shall be taken to ensure complete safety.


6. Any customers who violate the safety rules or behave in an unsportsmanlike way shall be warned once. Thereafter the offending customer will be asked to leave the park. Any customers who have been asked to leave the park 2 times shall be banned from the park. (Customers who have been banned should perhaps be named and/or described to the other paintball parks.)


7. Only markers that have trigger guards, and that are otherwise normally considered safe for tournament use, shall be allowed. Stock-class, pump and semi-automatic markers shall be allowed, but no turbo or full-automatic modes of firing shall be allowed unless mutually agreed upon exceptions are allowed by the paintball park operator(s) and agreed upon beforehand.

8. All tanks shall be inspected to ensure that the certification date has not expired and that they are in proper working order . No player shall be allowed to play with a tank that does not have a valid certification.