It’s no fun to be taken out of the game because you couldn’t avoid a well-aimed shot. It is even worse is to be taken out of the game because of injury or leave the field to go to the emergency room due to injury. Paintball field safety will keep you on the field and having fun.
Being alert, some preparation ahead of time and using recommended safety gear will keep you safe. Add some common sense and your day out on the paintball field will be memorable because of the fun that was had by all.
Paintball field safety starts with your gun. Always treat the gun like a loaded gun. Be observant where the gun is pointing at all times. When out on the field or anywhere else, even for simple paintball gun maintenance, remove the power source. The focus needed for the maintenance procedure may distract you from noticing someone walking in the line of fire.
Wearing paintball safety gear and protective clothing will prevent the following from occurring:
It is better to be a little warm on the field and protected from injury. Most fields don’t give you a choice; you will have to wear eye-protecting goggles. There a full-face masks with optional protection for the throat. Thick and or layered clothing will protect from bruising from being hit at close range with a paintball. Sliding to utilize protection will be more comfortable if the clothing is scraped along dirt and gravel instead of bare skin. Long sleeves protect from paintball hits and sunburn.
Use sunscreen even on cloudy days. The effects of the sun might not be felt while playing but sunburn can still occur. Sunburn increases risk of skin cancer in the future.
Bring enough water to keep hydrated during play even when the weather is cool and comfortable. Pack a few easy to eat energy providing snacks in your pockets. This will prevent heat exhaustion, heat stroke, dehydration, and fatigue.
The effort needed to practice paintball field safety is minimal compared to the effort needed to deal with injuries or sickness on the paintballing field. It will also assure the day after playing you will feel good while (hopefully) basking in the glories of the paintball games you played!
