I feed in the enclosure and my snakes are all on loose bedding. Occasionally one will take in a couple wood chips, and it's seriously not the end of the world. As long as it isn't a crazy amount that they're taking in, they can handle it. Ball pythons are opportunistic hunters and they'll sometimes take carrion, which is obviously on the ground. If they couldn't handle a couple wood chips, then they never would have made it with that kind of a lifestyle.

Snakes aren't dumb. If they have too many wood chips in their mouth, I highly doubt that they'll swallow them. Try not to worry too much.