ATTENTION!!!

REQUIRED PROTECTION

Due to too many preventable injuries in the past few months, BTA has revised our personal protection rules.

Effective March 3, 2012 the following change will be made to the BTA Safety Rules…

PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)

It is irrelevant what you have worn at other group’s events or at BTA events in the past. The following are the BTA PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) rules, and they will be strictly enforced! NO EXCEPTIONS!

    1) All players must wear OSHA/ANSI Z87.1 rated FULL COVERAGE eye protection at all times!

    2) However, player may opt to wear steel mesh eye protection. Any player who wears steel mesh eye protection does so completely at their own risk! Only high quality mesh eye protection is acceptable (See #6 below). BTA recommends STAMPED STEEL mesh.

    3) Prescription glasses are NOT acceptable as safety eyewear unless they are ANSI Z87.1 standard. All prescription glasses must be brought to BTA command for verification of OSHA/ANSI Z87.1 rating, and must have side-shields or be a wrap-around design.

    4) All players under 18 years old MUST wear a full face mask or lower face mask/proper eye protection combination. NO EXCEPTIONS!

    5) ALL HOMEMADE PROTECTION MUST BE BROUGHT TO BTA COMMAND FOR APPROVAL!

    6) BTA command reserves the right to inspect any players PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) at our events. If BTA command declares any eye protection, cheap quality mesh, or homemade protection unacceptable it may not be used at BTA events. NO EXCEPTIONS!

Additionally BTA strongly recommends the following readily available protective items that will help players to prevent injuries…

• Lower face protection; face-hits can be very painful and leave scars, BBs can easily knock out teeth causing costly dental bills.
• Boots (These should be common sense, and may become mandatory if we see too many more twisted ankles, nails through feet, or players suffering in wet muddy conditions!)
• Gloves
• Knee & Elbow pads
• Head protection such as hats, helmets.
• Shemagh/Scarf to help protect ears & neck.
• Groin padding
• Loose fitting clothing that covers exposed skin. (Players who expose their own skin do so at their own risk!)
• All players should consider bringing extra eye protection to our ops.
• All players should consider bringing a simple clear and/or shaded pair of eye protection for between games, especially those who wear mesh, goggles, and full masks.

**SPECIAL NOTE**

Sports Mouth Guards are not intended for protection from projectiles! Once you open your mouth to breath or talk you expose half your teeth. They do not count as required protection at BTA events!

 

 

One months notice is being given to allow players time to acquire the required protection. From 03/03/2012 these rules will be strictly enforced!