Matt Pearson of The Citadel has some important news for airsoft retailers, manufactures and game site owners about an upcoming vote on standards for commercial airsoft field operations and safety:
ASTM International www.astm.org is voting soon on standards for commercial Airsoft Field Operations and Safety. These standards will provide the basis for both insurance, and possible government product safety and regulations. The ASTM carries a lot of weight in this regard.
Very FEW Airsoft Fields (Only myself from The Citadel in fact) have signed on to work on and vote on these standards. Retailers and Manufacturers this can affect you as well if fields all of a sudden can or cannot use various Airsoft guns or devices!
The standard up for vote includes mandatory ear protection, recommended (which turns into requirements at the insurance level) face protection, as well as imposing a 20ft Minimum-Engagement-Distance or MED even indoors which overnight could hurt a LOT of Indoor fields.
If you are a field owner, retailer, manufacturer, or run a player community you NEED to become a member of ASTM Immediately www.astm.org/join (yes it costs some money) and join committee F08 (Sports) and F08.27 (Airsoft) and ask to join the working groups for these standards!
Right now PAINTBALL has a huge voice in F08 committee and can and will vote on this standard. Do you want to leave it up to them to set standards for Airsoft? This does not only affect the US, these standards get used worldwide in many cases.
I feel this Ballot has been rushed to a vote over my concerns and the fact I said I was going to go on a crusade to get more Airsoft Fields, Distributors, Retailers, and Manufactures on the committee.
I am not asking you to vote one way or another, just GET INVOLVED IN STANDARDS THAT WILL IMPACT YOUR BUSINESS.
If you need any help with the process please contact me!
Matt Pearson
info@citadelairsoft.com
508-799-4272 (USA)
