Safety probe over Ryze trampoline park injuries

A cutting-edge trampoline park is being investigated by health and safety chiefs after reports of more than 100 injuries in just three weeks.
Ryze trampoline park is being investigated over injuriesRyze trampoline park is being investigated over injuries
Ryze trampoline park is being investigated over injuries

Ryze, located in Mayfield Industrial Estate in Dalkeith, opened its new 10,000 sq ft park at the end of last month, and since then has allegedly been the sight of a raft of accidents including a broken neck, back and other bones.

But bosses at the centre insisted accident rates at the park were “better than the industry norm” - with only seven serious injuries.

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Mum Claire McKenna, from Bonnyrigg, told the BBC safety procedures at Ryze were “absolutely crazy” after her husband Christopher McKenna, 49, broke his neck at the park on Saturday 7 February.

The 29-year-old said: “My husband was only just on the trampoline when he jumped and realised he was so high he wouldn’t be able to land on his feet so he landed on his bottom.

“However, because it was so springy his legs flew over his head in a flipping motion and his head caught under his body.

“He was lying motionless and face down on the trampoline and two young boys who work there lifted him and moved him off the trampoline. This was where alarm bells were ringing for me because you should never move anyone with a neck injury.

“Twenty minutes later I was still arguing with the boy to call an ambulance but he was just interested in filling in an accident form and kept saying for me to drive him to the hospital as the ambulance wouldn’t know where to come because it’s a new centre.

“He didn’t cordon off the area and was just asking people not to bounce near my husband. There was absolutely no control, it was absolutely crazy and I’ve never seen anything like it.

“The doctors at the hospital said he was lucky not to be paralysed as he should not have been moved.

“There were no first aiders there and the most damning thing was there was no control of the place.”

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Case Lawrence, Ryze chief executive, said the centre had seen 25,662 jumpers pass through its doors in the last three weeks and only 102 injuries in that time.

He added: “This injury incident rate is right in line with what we see in the US and what we would expect here.

“It is actually better than the industry norms and we always see the incident rate decline after the first few months as the novelty wears off and people become more familiar with the rules and, frankly as our staff gain more experience and training.”

A spokeswoman for Midlothian Council said: “Once we became aware that this business was operating, our inspections visited the premises on 6 February and gave advice on the company’s health and safety obligations.

“So far, we’ve received no reports of accidents at Ryze Ultimate Trampoline Park.

“However, having been made aware of a number of allegations of injuries, we have visited the premises and our inquiries are ongoing.”

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