Trampoline Health and Safety

Said to be the third most desired toy for the summer by children aged 5 to 13, health and safety industries are keen to encourage parents to think through the practical issues before placing a trampoline in their garden. With the right precautions taken into account, experts say, the trampoline can be a great source of fun and exercise for all ages.

Statistics show that in 2002 the number of people in the UK going to the hospital with a trampoline related injury rose by more than 50 percent over the preceding five years to reach 11,500. In January this year a 12-year old boy died from a blood clot after banging his head falling off a friend’s trampoline and in July a 14-year old from Jersey fractured his spine.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has released a fact sheet (downloadable here) with safety advice for parents and children. Among the suggestions for parents are to take into account the model and features of the trampoline before purchase, to set rules for the usage such as only allowing one user at a time, and to inspect the trampoline before each use to check for holes or rips in the material.