We have a sort of unwritten rule in our club that starting and run-up are done at the aircraft staging area not in an area that is only a few feet from the next guy in the lot. Our benches are set to about 25 feet apart and the benches all have some sort of restraint system. Normally, everyone turns the benches so that the nose is into the wind even on the bench. That way, if a gust does come along, it won't try to twist the aircraft around on the bench.

As far as props coming off, well, I was trained to make sure someone is not in front of the aircraft where a broken blade may fly off to.. generally ask people to get behind the wings and the only person in front is me.

We do, occasionally, have people that want to start their aircraft on the ground, but they mostly away from the center of activity and use restraints to hold their planes back while doing engine tuning.

I've had a prop come off due to a backfire but it never went to far... I always keep my starting throttle setting to only two or three clicks from closed. Training, I guess.

DS.