Trampolines have become a popular entertainment equipment over the last years not only in amusement parks, but also in people’s homes. What perhaps is not very well known is that they pose serious safety hazards.
A somewhat shocking statistic is that, in the USA alone, approximately 100,000 accidents per year ending in the emergency room happen because of trampolines. And even though the majority of occurrences involve children, adults are also victims. According to Livestrong, about 14% of these accidents involved children from 4 years old and younger; 65% happen with children from 5 to 14 years; 13% entailed teenagers and adults with the ages between 15 and 24 years; 7% happened to adults from 25 to 64 years; and about 0.2% with old people above 64 years.
The main types of injuries suffered while playing with trampolines are the following:
- Spine and back injuries;
- Leg fractures and injuries;
- Injuries and fractures to forearms;
- Head concussions and injuries;
- Elbow fractures and injuries;
- Hip and thigh injuries.
The majority of the accidents are caused by jumpers bumping into each other, trying to do stunts, falling off the trampoline or falling onto the frame or springs of the trampoline.
Although such statistics are alarming, the number of accidents is not decreasing. In fact, it seems that every year, the number of parks with trampolines are actually rising, according to CBSNews. Moreover, parents are constantly buying them as toys for their children, and generally, they do not seem to comprehend all of the hazards that they encompass.
In face of this scenario, it is necessary to implement a series of safety measures to help prevent accidents and reduce the elevated statistics. In amusement parks, the following guidelines should be present:
- Old equipment should be replaced with a certain frequency;
- Staff should be present at all times watching and supervising;
- Staff should be properly trained on how to use the equipment safely and on how to instruct users about safety;
- Inspections and maintenance should be done frequently on the equipment;
- Any signs of wear or tear on the padding should signal the need to replace it;
- Always provide safety nets for the trampolines to avoid people falling out of it;
- Children under 6 years old should never be allowed to enter a trampoline
At the same time, safety measures should always be present in homes with trampolines, especially if there are younger children present. Parents should ensure the safe use of trampolines through:
- Never let any children use the trampoline without someone watching them. Ideally the trampoline should be in a place out of the reach of children, or should be able to be locked (e.g. with a net around it and a locking mechanism in the entrance;
- Teach children on how to use it safely and instruct them to not try to do stunts;
- Never allow more than one person at a time to jump to avoid collisions;
- Always provide safety nets for the trampolines to avoid people falling out of it;
- Inspect regularly the padding and safety equipment to ensure that they are in perfect conditions; if they are not, they should be replaced as soon as possible and nobody should use the trampoline while they have any type of damage;
- Children under 6 years old should never be allowed to enter a trampoline
