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Inflatable indoor park safety

Published (2/25/2010)
By Nick Busse
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Indoor amusement parks with inflatable rides can be fun places to take children, but critics say they’re dangerous when not properly supervised.

Rep. Karla Bigham (DFL-Cottage Grove) sponsors HF1746, which would require inflatable play parks to have trained staff on hand to supervise the rides, among other safety measures. The House Commerce and Labor Committee approved the bill Feb. 23 and referred it to the House Civil Justice Committee.

Lisa Schmidt of Victoria testified in support of the bill. She said her son, Ryan, suffered a fractured skull and bleeding in his brain after he fell from a slide at the Pump It Up indoor play park in Eden Prairie. She read through the names other children who had been seriously injured in similar incidents in recent years.

Schmidt said that parents often drop their children off for parties or other events at inflatable play parks believing that they will be properly supervised. She argued the business owners are being negligent in not adopting safety standards recommended by inflatable device manufacturers.

“It’s the very way that they’re running their business against these standards that’s contributing to these injuries,” Schmidt said.

Under the bill’s provisions, owners of these facilities would have to follow the recommended safety guidelines for each inflatable amusement device, which often includes having padding or other safety equipment installed in or around the rides. Moreover, the bill would require that at least one trained staff person be on hand to actively supervise each ride or device.

Businesses covered by the regulations would have to pay a $100 fee and register every two years with the Department of Labor and Industry, which would be responsible for enforcing compliance. Business owners would also be required to buy certain levels of liability insurance to cover accidental death or injury.

Bigham said the regulations would only apply to indoor parks with inflatable rides, and would not affect businesses that rent out inflatable rides for use at parties and events.

Sen. Katie Sieben (DFL-Newport) sponsors the companion,  SF1590, which awaits action by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

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