Baseball Pitching Machine And Safety: What You Need To Know
Automatic baseball pitching machines are really an excellent invention for today’s batters. However, any time you play a sport, there are risks you need to know about and precautions you need to take in order to keep yourself and those around you as safe as possible.
This is especially true around a baseball pitching machine. These machines often deliver balls at fast speeds. Unlike a live person, they cannot respond to what is going on; they simply keep doing what they are designed to do. Especially in the case of a pitching machine set to automatically propel a ball every 5-6 seconds until it is shut off, safety is especially important. If you get hit by a ball, or if you look away at a distraction, the machine does not know and will shoot another ball at you anyway.
That said, following a few simple guidelines can make huge strides in terms of the safe use of this very beneficial practice machine. Here are 5 rules of safety for baseball pitching machines.
- Always wear a helmet. Just as you would never walk up to home plate in a game of baseball without a helmet, don’t use your pitching machine without one either. Any time a baseball is being thrown at pitching speed (even a slow pitch), protecting your head is the most important thing—more important than hitting the ball! The helmet rule is #1 and applies to both adults and children alike.
- Read the instructions. This is true with most products you buy, but applies especially in the case of a baseball pitching machine, due to the nature of its purpose. Make sure you know how to load the machine, how to maintain it, and how to turn it off. Also heed any instructions regarding unsafe use of the machine. For example, many machines are dangerous if used with a baseball that is wet. Read the instructions so you know what to do, and what not to do, before you even turn it on.
- Be prepared. This is also true in a variety of situations, but you need to know what to do if something goes wrong and someone is struck with a ball in the head, or otherwise injured. Keeping a first aid kit, ice pack, and cell phone nearby will make you much better equipped to respond effectively if something unexpected happens.