Abstract: A system and a method are provided for preventing damage to wafers arranged in a wafer cassette. In particular, an apparatus is provided to protect wafers arranged in a wafer cassette during insertion of a wafer into the cassette. In one embodiment, the apparatus may be a separate entity from the wafer cassette. In this manner, the apparatus may be situated about the cassette such that the wafers arranged in the cassette are protected during insertion of a wafer. In another embodiment, the wafer cassette itself may be adapted to partially cover and protect the wafers arranged in the cassette during insertion of a wafer. Consequently, a method is provided using either embodiment of the apparatus. In particular, the method may include inserting a wafer into a wafer cassette by shielding one or more slots of the cassette, exposing a designated slot of the cassette, and inserting a wafer into the designated slot.