As with all attractions that are used by guests, ongoing maintenance is required to help keep the attraction in good working order. Below are suggestions to help achieve this goal for laser tag arenas regardless of its origin. These should be done on a weekly basis; however you may find due to the volume of business you are generating that certain ones may need to be completed more often or possibly less often. These suggestions serve as a guide to formulate your own and create additional ones as required.

Lasertag maintenance suggestions:

• Vacuum carpet in all areas and consider steam vacuuming them as needed for removing fog/haze juice build-up, dirt and foreign objects
• Sweep and mop all concrete areas as needed for removing fog/haze juice build-up, dirt and foreign objects
• If carpet is present in any of the laser tag areas and loose ravels are exposed, trim and apply heat to “melt” the fibers to prevent further ones from forming
• Clean up an fog/haze juice residue that may pool under the machine or in other areas of the attraction
• Check fog/haze juice levels to ensure you keep a light fog/haze mist in the air if you want to see the laser tag beams, and to ensure you don’t let the fog/haze machine run dry and cause overheating in the unit which may lead to further problems
• Wipe down all reflective surfaces using a damp or dry cloth
• Wipe down all acrylic pieces using a damp or dry cloth
• Wipe down all maze barriers/props using a damp or dry cloth
• Based on the continuous abuse your arena may sustain from players, check for loose maze barriers/props and re-affix/stabilize as required
• Check for any screws, nails and/or other types of hardware fasteners that may have become dislodged or exposed and repair as required
• Check for wear on all items and walls within the laser tag area and repair or replace as necessary using the same or similar like components, materials and/or paint
• Check that all lighting is working and repair or replace as necessary any bulbs, motors, fans, ballasts, etc.
• Clean the HVAC drip pans and filters as they will accumulate fog/haze juice residue
• Use “canned air” to clean out the dust in your amplifier fans on your sound system as well as the fans on your computer systems
• Use a disc cleaning kit to maintain your CD player in your sound system as required
• Highlight any areas using a visible means appropriate to the area that may be considered “trouble spots” to draw attention to them while you prepare to correct them; this can include flooring, wall edges, walls not easily seen, barriers/props that may need repaired, slippery spots, areas that could injure a person, and more

Although these suggestions for maintenance are common and logical for preventative care and safety, one should be vigilant to ensure the upkeep of their facility is a priority. Based on your particular needs, a procedure of your choosing that is tailored to fit your specific requirements should be instituted into your operations as you see fit.

Additionally, players should be given certain safety precautions and rules before each game that they should abide and follow at all times to help minimize incidents. The following page lists some of these that should be taken into account. This is not an exhaustive list but a starting place to maintain safety within the attraction.

Here are some suggestions for safety precautions that are typically given verbally during the “briefing” of the players before the game:

• Players should be advised that they are playing laser tag at their own risk.
• If they have concerns regarding their ability to participate in cardiovascular exercise, they should refrain from playing.
• Players who are asthmatic, suffer from respiratory disorders, or are allergic to dust should refrain from playing.
• Persons who suffer from photosensitive epilepsy should refrain from playing.
• Women who are pregnant should refrain from playing.

Here are some suggestions for game safety rules:

• No physical contact – touching other players can provoke them and create an unsafe environment
• No offensive language – language inappropriate for kids should be discouraged at all times due to the blend of ages and the unknown tolerance of each individual to specific language or words which are or could be considered offensive
• No running – anyone running or moving quickly through a laser tag area will most likely hit, slip, and/or fall into another individual, a maze barrier/prop, a column, a perimeter wall, etc. creating an unsafe environment and cause injury to themselves and those around them
• No jumping – anyone jumping may land incorrectly and cause injury to themselves and those around them
• No climbing – the items inside a laser tag area are not meant to be climbed on or support any additional weight. Loss of traction, grip, stabilization, etc. can cause injury to themselves and those around them
• No sitting, kneeling or lying down – a person in one of these positions puts players who are standing upright in a disadvantage from seeing them; this puts these players in a harmful situation as they could trip over someone and cause injury to themselves and those around them

An abbreviation of these rules should be posted where game instructions are given and any safety precautions are provided. Additionally, if a phaser has a sensor on the front for placing another hand on it to operate (providing this can be chosen as an option in the system/game selection process), it is recommended this takes place to help minimize moving the phaser in a fashion that could cause injury to others. Having a “game attendant” during game play (which is customary and advised) will help enforce the above rules and provide assistance to guests that have any questions or need guidance as required during the game.

It should be clear to all that the game attendant and/or management of the facility reserves the right to deny access to the game or to remove someone from a game based on them not following any safety precautions and/or rules, or if they appear to be impaired because they are under the influence of a substance (drugs or alcohol).

Laser tag areas by their very nature are darkened environments with fog/haze and lots of noise. Due to this, it is easy to get disoriented, and not be as agile. When there are multiple players in one game, the chances of incidents may increase as the proximity of the players may become close at times. It’s important to remember that even though you may provide instructions, show the rules, provide monitoring in a game and assist players; some players will break a rule and put themselves and those around them in harm’s way which could result in an injury. This could be based on another player hitting another player or a player hitting an element, barrier, wall or prop within the arena itself.

As with any attraction, be proactive and create a preventative schedule to minimize unforeseen events to keep your staff and guests safe.