Trampolines are lots of fun and can help you stay healthy, but like lots of active toys, accidents can sometimes happen.

To make sure you and your family are as safe as possible when you use your trampoline, why not read through our thorough safety guide, which we have produced in line with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents’ (RoSPA) own guidelines.

Trampoline Safety Issues

The latest accident figures from RoSPA for 2002 showed that 11,500 people in the UK went to hospital after an accident with a trampoline, with 4,200 under-15s being hurt in that year.

Since that time, the volume of trampolines in gardens across the UK has increased even further, so the need to be safe at play is even greater.

Trampoline Safety Statistics

• Around 75% of injuries occur when more than one person is on the trampoline. The lightest person on the trampoline in that situation is five times more likely to be injured.
 
• Children under six years old are the most vulnerable to injury.
 
• Head and neck injuries are the most serious injuries associated with trampolines; however injuries can occur to all parts of the body, including the arms, legs and face.
 
• More than half of all trampoline accidents occur whilst under supervision. Adult supervision is no guarantee of safety; however a trained ‘spotter’ can greatly reduce this risk.

Trampoline Advice for Parents

Buying a Trampoline:

• Buy spring pads, or ensure that your chosen model comes with safety pads that completely cover the springs, hooks and the frame. Ensure the spring pad is a contrasting colour to the trampoline bed, making it easier for the jumper to spot when they are near the edge.
 
• Try to buy a model that include safety netting as part of the design, or purchase a safety enclosure when you buy the trampoline. This will reduce the chance of the jumper falling from the trampoline and hitting the ground.
 
• All commercial trampolines manufactured from 2001 should meet BS EN 13219:2001 Trampolines; however there is no similar standard for domestic, home and garden trampolines.
 

Positioning Your Trampoline:

• Choose a clear open space for your trampoline, which is clear from hazards both on the ground and overhead such as trees, fences, washing lines, poles or other equipment.
 
• Ideally you should leave an area of 2.5 metres of clear space (both on the ground and above it) around your trampoline.
 
• Place the trampoline on soft energy absorbing ground (i.e. a soft lawn, bark wood chip, sand or other cushioning materials).
 
• Never place the trampoline on a hard surface (i.e. concrete, hard packed mud) without some form of crash matting or safety netting.
 
• Never leave a ladder attached to a trampoline as it provides unsupervised access to small children. Always remove and safely store the trampoline after each use.

Storing Your Trampoline

It is important to store a trampoline safely when not in use, particularly during winter months when the high winds can cause a trampoline to be lifted into the air:

• Always tie down large trampolines – there are anchor kits available that can be used for this purpose.
 
• Flip smaller trampolines upside down and store them with their bed lying flat on the ground; this stops the wind being able to get up underneath the trampoline.  Ensure there is a waterproof covering on the ground to avoid any damage.
 
• Take down the safety enclosures during windy weather, to avoid them acting like a sail in windy weather.

Using Your Trampoline

• Never allow more than one person on the trampoline at any one time.
 
• Children under the age of 6 must only use trampolines designed for their age and size; trampolines are not suitable for very young children and toddlers.
 
• Children should be supervised at all times.
 
• No somersaults - go to a properly organised, accredited trampoline/gymnastics club if you or your children want to try more complicated moves.
 
• Never allow jumpers to exit the trampoline by bouncing off.
 
• Jumpers should remove all watches, jewellery, loose clothing or anything that may catch in the bed or springs and cause injury.
 
• Jumpers should have nothing in their pockets, such as mobile phones, wallets or loose change.  These can become danger if they fall out during the jump, or the jumper lands on them.

Rules for children

• One by One! Only one person at a time please.
 
• No Tricks! Don’t try risky moves like somersaults and flips.
 
• Jump in the Middle! Always bounce in the middle of the trampoline.
 
• Never jump off! When you want to get off, stop bouncing and then climb down.
 
• Stand back! Keep a safe distance from the trampoline when someone else is jumping.
 
• Mind Out Below! Never go underneath a trampoline when someone else is jumping.
 
• Out of Order! Don’t use the trampoline if you see a rip or split in the trampoline bed, or if the padding has come away from the metal springs. Tell an adult.

We’ve created a fun colourful copy of these rules for you to print and share with your children, to help them learn trampoline safety.  You can download it here.

For more information on trampoline safety visit the RoSPA website.