The death of an Oak Bay man has shone a spotlight on the safety of increasingly popular trampoline parks. Jay Greenwood, 46, died after being injured when he fell into a foam pit at Richmond鈥檚 Extreme Air Park on Jan. 20. His two young daughters were with him at the time. Richmond RCMP are investigating his death.
The park has been the subject of lawsuits and safety investigations in relation to other incidents.
Users of trampoline parks and foam pits might assume that the facilities are regulated by government, but they are not. The International Association of Trampoline Parks sets a standard for foam pits, but membership is voluntary.
At other parks, users have cracked their spines or broken their necks when jumping into pits. The resulting lawsuits allege staff were not properly trained, and the pits were not adequately supervised.
The foam-filled pits look safe, and many people use them without incident, but most parks require guests to sign waivers because there is a risk. In the U.S., trampolines cause about 100,000 injuries a year. Although most of those happen in backyards, they are a reminder of the potential danger.
Users have to understand how to avoid injury, and the parks鈥� guidelines are often unclear, according to a lawyer involved in one of the lawsuits.
Safety regulations are in place for many activities that seem like good family fun, such as roller-coasters. The rules minimize the risk so that families can enjoy themselves without taking their lives in their hands.
The injuries at trampoline parks and foam pits are evidence that this industry needs the same attention to safety.
