Trampoline oversight lacking, expert says
VANCOUVER — A trampoline fatality in Richmond sheds a tragic light on an industry with little oversight, say people who have studied the explosive growth of trampoline parks.
Jay Greenwood, 46, of Victoria, died following an injury he suffered last Saturday in a fall at the Extreme Air Park. He was playing with his two young daughters at the time.
Before Greenwood died, he “was allegedly performing a series of acrobatic manoeuvres prior to a fall that caused serious injury and cardiac arrest,” said Richmond RCMP Cpl. Dennis Hwang. Mounties are investigating.
Trampoline parks seem to be in a “Wild Wild West” with no governmental or other regulation, and only a few across Canada pledge to follow best practices set by peers, said a lawyer and a professor at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops who specializes in adventure sport risk management.
“There has been explosive growth. You’ve got the sheer popularity of these parks popping up. Who doesn’t like bouncing around?” Jon Heshka said. “You’ve also got an industry grappling to respond with measures to improve safety. They’re still figuring it out.”
Trampoline parks draw families hosting birthday parties for kids, daycare operators seeking field trip venues and companies organizing team-building events. Legally, they depend on participants being the ones to assume risks and sign waivers.
Emergency room visits for trampoline park-related injuries increased to 6,932 in 2014 from 581 in 2010, with children ages six to 17 accounting for the majority of injuries, he said.
There were only three known parks in 2009, but their number stood at more than 1,000 worldwide by the end of 2017, according to the International Association of Trampoline Parks, which is based in Pennsylvania.
Its members join on a voluntary basis and adhere to certain guidelines covering everything from insurance levels to foam pit sizes. However, there are only four Canadian companies on its list, including two in British Columbia: Apex Adventure Plex in Richmond and the Flying Squirrel in Esquimalt.
The IATP advocates that its members follow a standard for the design, manufacture, installation, operation, maintenance, inspection and major modification of trampoline courts, according to its executive vicepresident Bethany Evans.
Locally, Technical Safety B.C. oversees the running of equipment and devices involving some waterslides and amusement park rides, ziplines, drop towers, bumper boats and cars, but not trampoline parks.
“There are currently no specific regulations applicable to [trampoline parks], but in light of this incident, we will be reviewing the regulatory framework and seeking opportunities to participate in discussions on codes and standards with governments and other regulators about future oversight for these types of facilities,” spokeswoman Lisa Duong said in an email.