Safeguarding against water park risks
Water parks deal with a plethora of visitor injuries on a daily basis.
Water parks are high-up on many families’ summer to-do lists, but unfortunately these exciting attractions come with a unique set of risks. In fact, water parks reported over 51,000 injuries from 2012 to 2021, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s National Electronic Injury Surveillance System.
Perhaps the most prominent accident in the U.S. in recent years happed in 2016 at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City, Kansas. Ten-year-old Caleb Schwab was riding the park’s Verrückt water slide – which was named the world’s tallest water slide by Guinness World Records in 2014 – when the raft he was riding went airborne and struck a metal pole, which was supporting a safety net on the slide. Schwab was killed, and two women in the raft with him were injured.
Charges were brought against the designers of the slide, claiming the attraction was created without proper expertise, but were all eventually dismissed.
While the more sensational tragedies are the ones that make national headlines, the reality of water parks is that they deal with a plethora of visitor injuries on a daily basis, ranging from bumps and bruises to more serious incidents. Some of the most common risks water park patrons face are:
Drowning
According to HealthyChildren.org, wave pools pose the most drowning risk when it comes to water park attractions. The nature of the pool, with moving water and generally heavy crowds, can make it harder for lifeguards to spot those who need assistance. Those who aren’t strong swimmers should avoid wave pools or, at very least, wear a life jacket.
Bacteria, fungi and viruses
The most common swimming-related illnesses reported to the CDC include acute gastrointestinal illness like Cryptosporidium, acute respiratory illness like Legionella, Pseudomonas, Norovirus and skin rashes caused by Giardia and Algal toxins.
Slip-and-fall injuries
Wet pool decks and big crowds make slip-and-fall accidents some of the most frequent injury reports at water parks. Remember to walk, not run, when traveling around the park, especially near pools, stairs and other slippery areas.
Urine and fecal contamination
According to the CDC, people have about 0.14 grams of feces on their bodies at any given time, and the nature of water parks and communal pools makes them prime places for this waste to spread to others. Because of this, those who are immunocompromised should speak with their physician before taking part in water activities.
Lacerations
Swimsuits don’t provide much protection to the skin, and visitors often remain barefoot during their time at water parks, which can leave them susceptible to lacerations.
Legionnaire’s Disease
While the bacteria that cause Legionnaire’s Disease, a type of pneumonia, are most often found in streams or lakes, there is still a chance it can grow and spread in water parks. Parks should have workers regularly check for and clean places where Legionella bacteria are present.
Neck and back injuries
People traveling down water slides, especially in tubes, can be susceptible to back and neck injuries, including whiplash and tailbone injuries.
A certain amount of risk is to be expected when large attractions and water are involved, these steps from Nirbo can help water park management can take to mitigate some of this risk and create a safer environment for their visitors and staff:
- Be thorough in choosing equipment that has minimum pinch points, protrusions and other injury-causing features. Equipment should be made of non-skid materials, be less conductive to electricity and minimize heat reflection.
- It may be more cost-effective to recirculate water, but take great care to form and execute a plan to properly treat the water. Some tougher bacteria, like E.coli, may take a few trips through your treatment system to be completely eliminated.
- Properly trained ride operators and lifeguards should be able to recognize problems and step in when they arise to ensure the safety of visitors. Staff should be taught how to follow safe operating procedures and how to handle accidents when they occur.
- Management should monitor staff periodically to ensure they are properly performing their duties. Water parks tend to attract young summer workers, and it’s important to check in with them regularly to make sure they are paying proper attention to their respective tasks and to correct any improper conduct that could put visitors at risk.
- When accidents happen, keep detailed records, including the names and detailed statements of eyewitnesses. These incident reports can be used as evidence if a lawsuit arises from an incident. Photographs of the scene where the incident occurred should also be stored with the report.
- If you choose to utilize liability waivers, which can be useful in certain circumstances, be sure they are written in plain language that is clear to the person signing it.