Paintball safety is not a humor
Paintball's
superb safety record compared with other sports is largely attributable to the
attention that has been paid to safety concerns from the very beginnings of the
game. High strength goggles are always a requirement at any field as well as
barrel plugs and chronographs.
At
Eger club, Russia, Moscow, we pay very serious attention to paintball safety.
Barrel plugs
are an internationally-accepted safety item for paintball. Barrel plugs are
required in all non-shooting areas and whenever a referee requires that plugs
be inserted.
Chronographs
are also mandatory for paintball. These devices measure the velocity at which
the paintball is leaving the barrel of the marker. The international speed
limit is 300 feet per second (fps). For indoor or other close range play, the
speed limits are lower. In tournaments, penalties for exceeding the speed limit
have cost many teams a trip to the finals--tournament directors have no sense
of humor when it comes to enforcing safety rules.
Referees
enforce safety and playing rules, as well as start and stop every game. They
tend to chose brightly colored outfits, and players are generally not allowed
to wear uniforms that resemble ref clothing. They are also called judges or
marshals.
