Adding safety inspections to trampoline parks
In this July 31, 2013, file photo, a patron flips at a trampoline park in Orem, Utah. Trampoline park injuries have soared as the indoor jumping trend has spread. That's according to a study published Monday, Aug. 1, 2016, that shows annual U.S. emergency room visits jumped 12-fold for park-related injuries from 2010 through 2014. AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File
As a commercial business, trampoline courts have become increasingly popular. Companies like Elevate and Sky Zone have locations in Champaign-Urbana, Peoria, Bloomington-Normal, and Springfield, but they can be dangerous. The American Academy of Pediatrics warns against the use of trampolines for anything but “supervised training programs for gymnastics, diving, or other competitive sports.” It is in this environment that last month there was a notice that the Illinois Department of Labor had adopted emergency rules regulating trampoline courts. This was made possible by recent changes to the Amusement Ride and Attraction Safety Act, which covers carnival rides, ski lifts, bungee cords and things of that nature. To talk more about what these new rules will entail, we were joined by the chief ride inspector at IDOL.
Prepared for web by Owen Henderson
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