Like you said britbrat, vigilance and presence of mind is the key. A guy in our club, been flying 40 years, never cut himself, was helping a guy at our weekly float fly tune his engine....approached the plane and engine from the rear, just like he'd done for 40 years, and reached through the PUSHER prop to adjust the needle. Just wasn't thinking, he doesn't own any pushers himself. The APC sliced him pretty good on three fingers, but nothing permanent. He was harder on himself than anyone else could have been.

I paint the tips on mine; I stay way clear, but it's nice to see where the ends are when they're spinning. I find the balance changes minimal; if it throws it off enough, I just spray the light blade with clear until it's balanced again.