How to ensure you buy a safe trampoline
When looking to purchase a trampoline, you’ll most likely have safety in your mind no matter how young or old your kids are. There are some inclusions to a trampoline that will help to keeps kids safe but at the end of the day whatever we as parents tend to do to keep kids safe, they will find a way to express their adventurous side and make what is safe, unsafe. We have seen it many times with our own kids and now at the display with the volume of kids we see on our trampolines. There's a lot to cover on the topic of trampoline safety, at the bottom I will include some extra relevant links.
Net Enclosure
This is probably the biggest change from when a lot of adults were kids using a trampoline to now.
Under the Australian Safety standards 2015 AS4849 no above ground trampoline can be sold without a net and meet the Australian Standards. There was a delay in the final release of the 2015 standard and it has been said it was mostly around the debate of the net now being a mandatory inclusion. It then got further delayed on the decision of an inside or outside net - the overall conclusion written into the standards was "all above ground trampolines in Australia must have a safety net enclosure"
Nets are a useful tool as it allows kids to use the whole space of the trampoline with peace of mind that they are supported should something go wrong. Reports show that injuries are more severe when the distance is above a meter and having the net there means the fall is often prevented, if not cushioned to reduce the risks of injury.
Safety Pads
Another important safety measure to take into consideration is to be sure that the trampoline you buy includes safety pads. Safety pads keep your trampoline mat stitching protected from the suns UV, and the harsh elements of rain and snow. By using them, you can keep the kids away from falling on to the springs and frame. All trampolines in Australia now come with padding, what is now important to the buyer is to make sure the trampoline you purchase has quality pads that will last and not fall apart under the sun within a year. When comparing brands compare the thickness of the padding foam and the grade of PVC used. Choose a colour that is more tolerant to the UV - Blue, Green, and Grey have the highest tolerances. Red, pink and yellow the lowest. Black absorbs the heat so will get the hottest, this can be very uncomfortable on hot days.
Ladder
A specifically designed trampoline ladder is often not included in trampoline kits and this causes much frustration for parents and kids alike. A flat step ladder is more comfortable on bare feet and a much stronger design than round rung trampoline step ladder. Plastic rung steps can be a hassle as if there are heavier adults or even children, the steps are more prone to breaking if they are made of a poor grade plastic.
Frame
A frame is the bones of a trampoline so if you find a trampoline with all the above parts made of good materials you can be confident the frame will be good too. To know what to look for though you will ideally be after a frame tube that is at least 40-60mm in diameter and be 2-2.5mm thick. It is best to have square joints for the strength and to stop the legs from moving. If you don't have a square tube at the leg joints the leg movement will put a strain on the welds and in some cases, will break. Make sure frames are not flattened off to be oval as this also weakens the structure. A galvanised frame is best if the frame is powder coated make sure it is galvanised underneath to ensure the longevity of the frame.
All Trampolines purchased with "Trampoline Web and Warehouse" come complete with safety net enclosures, safety spring padding, and a ladder. If you have further interest to understand the main trampoline parts before purchase scroll on down for more informative articles or feel free to email us or call on 03 52921100
