Gym equipment has a normal representative association with the healthy, fitness driven, lifestyle conscious professional aiming to keep in shape with the few remaining hours the home offers from the respite of working life. However, the very sobering fact that the most common cause of death amongst children 1-4 is through unintentional injury, requires us to always maintain a safety first policy for gym equipment at home.

Children have a natural inquisitiveness and it is unfortunate that the varying nooks and crannies of the gym have become an appealing magnet for children’s fingers as the danger from the heavy machinery can cause serious injuries through bumps and bruises of the weights and metal frames.

Severe tragic cases from 2009 include former boxing professional Mike Tyson whose little girl was found strangled by the chord of the treadmill, whilst damaged tendons and torn fingers are also recorded ill-fated cases. The treadmill has become a rising danger as reports of paediatric burns have increased in recent years from the fast moving surface and its popularity among home fitness users.

Securing the gym area with a lock and key is the preferred option for anyone who has the luxury of a separate gym room, but often the equipment is located in a more accessible area of the house. Whilst we are always vigilant with our children’s playtime it is sometimes unavoidable that a child might want to investigate the equipment.

Accidents are possible with the absence of a parent, but the following set of points should aim to widen our education for children’s protection from dangerous equipment.

§ Weights and heavy objects should not be active or placed on heights within the equipment set up but remain at the bottom when not in use.

§ Any open holes or gaps in the equipment should be covered and child proofed.

§ Cables and Chords should be tied, wrapped or secured away out of site.

§ Any purchase of a weight or running machine should include a protective barrier.

§ If there is no space to separate kids from machinery then make sure the safety keys are removed and with more modern equipment, take the magnet with you.

§ Install strict punishments and off limit s for approaching an area around the equipment in addition to a locked child barrier.

Thousands of cases each year record home negligence from gym equipment and child’s injuries but maintaining a vigilant and safe approach can reduce the level of injury.

Author Bio – James Barnett is an author on behalf of Powerhouse UK documenting researching family fitness and child protection.