The recent news published in The Guardian and BBC News, and debated by Jeremy Vine on his Radio 2 Show is revealing the high physical risk to which trampoline parks visitors are exposed, gained our members’ full attention. The IEW is very experienced in trampoline litigation and is currently involved in significant cases involving Trampoline and Trampoline Park injuries. 

The increasing success of trampoline parks since they first one opened in 2014 in the UK coincided with a significant rise in the number of serious injuries to participants. To illustrate the gravity of this situation by the use of statistics: according to figures obtained by the BBC, 315 ambulances were needed at 30 trampoline parks within a single year. If this is typical across all 140 Trampoline Parks then we could be looking at in excess of 1500 ambulance call outs. Add to this the numbers who refer themselves to hospitals and surgeries and it is clear that the problem is huge and growing. 

Even if the operators of these parks say that the number of injuries is small, relative to the entire number of visitors, the case of Sarah McManus, 29 (fully explained here) demonstrates the potential for catastrophic injuries.

The risk is greatly increased with a toxic mix or circumstances; 

• Trampolines are unforgiving when used without some element of basic skill and accuracy. 

• The design concept of trampoline parks encourages interaction between clients and trampolines across the performing area. AfPE and advisory bodies have for decades regulated for single person use and vertical, centre of the bed bouncing only.

• We now live in the U TUBE generation. The public perception of personal safety is greatly distorted by exposure to awesome activity images that range from Jackass to daredevil and are driven by community “like” rankings. Young people in particular watch and believe they  can fly. They have very little experience in education and play to help them measure personal risk or understand that what goes up must come down. Common sense is set aside in the Americanism that injury and entitlement are brother and sister. 

The Law Society Checked Expert Witness and President of IEW, Trevor Low, stated: 

“I was required to provide an extensive report on the development of trampoline parks and the unique risks involved. Trampoline Parks are being set up all over the UK through companies that clearly understand from the accident statistics that they have some big problems to resolve. The current lack of regulation may encourage entrepreneurs and big leisure companies to explore the business potential of Trampoline Parks but the number and type of injuries being seen now requires a focus on the unique circumstances that are found in Trampoline Parks and exceptional operational safety measures. Early partnerships and associations of Trampoline parks have produced an initial set of notes that serve mainly to address the mechanics of construction and layout but have not yet drilled down into the operational detail of what happens when the public gain free access to the sweet factory. If I were the manager of one of these parks, looking at these reported accident rates, I would not sleep at night.” 

There is some encouraging news in that The British Standards Institution has now published its first set of standards for trampoline parks. The IEW is confident that the number and gravity of the increasing injuries experienced in trampoline parks will persuade the operators of these facilities to do their best in ensuring the safety of their visitors, and ultimately the security of their business and reputation. 

Experience has shown the members of the IEW over many years that although trampolining can be tremendous fun and is certainly good exercise, great care must be taken in how operators facilitate the safe use of the parks by the general public. Unfortunately fatalities and serious injuries have, and will continue to occur. The IEW advice is that these risks should be kept to an absolute minimum so that participants can enjoy their trampolining under the guidance and control of people knowledgeable in the unique circumstances found in Trampoline Parks.