UTAH COUNTY, Utah – Utah County health officials are set to meet Monday about possible regulations for jump gyms, and jump gym owners are coming forward to defend the safety reputation of the facilities.
Monday’s meeting is in relations to gyms where patrons can bounce on industrial-grade trampolines, not places that offer inflatable bounce houses.
Doctors at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center said they see serious injuries from these gyms, which include compound fractures as well as neck and spine injuries.
However, Aaron Cobabe of Get Air Hangtime said jump gyms are relatively safe. He said the injury rate at his gym is seven-hundredths per thousand, which calculates out to about 10 or 11 major injuries in 150,000 visits.
Cobabe said there are inherent safety risks in any kind of physical activity, and he said safety is a top priority at Get Air Hangtime.
“Injuries do happen,” he said. “With any recreational activity, injuries do happen. The vast majority of participants here do not get injured, and a lot of that is due to of rules that we do have in place and the safety features of our park."
Utah County health officials are meeting Monday, and Cobabe said he welcomes any ideas they may have about promoting safety.
