What are the dangers of a Skate Park?

There are many inherent risks that come with skateboarding. While some cannot be avoided such as falling while learning new skills, some others are exacerbated by their environment. Skate Parks are large areas of land made of concrete that involve various groups of people daily. Depending on their location, skaters should consider many risks. Road traffic, access to medical help, the size of the skate park, and the ability to clearly communicate are all aspects that may create danger. There were 28 fatalities in relation to skateboarding in the U.S in 2014 according to Skaters for Public Skateparks (SPS). Out of these, 23 were hit by cards and 3 more were holding onto vehicles. A 2015 study reports that up to 13.1% of injuries in a skate park are head injuries and up to 63% were to the upper body.

The large size of a skate park can both be beneficial and prone to risks. A park that is large in size will avoid collisions between skaters. However, it may also make communication between people more difficult, especially in cases of any risks or dangers that need attention or fast action. Although smaller parks allow for easier communication, they also make it harder for skaters to avoid each other and can cause harm.

How to take appropriate precautions?

Although some risks are part of skating, others do not have to be. There are still ways to mitigate them. A risk assessor will often establish the risks involved with the various aspects of a skate park. However, it is important to know there are no unanimous standards of risk for skate parks. While certain parks require a limit of height for some of their structures, others may demand skaters to have full joint protection. Some may have no restrictions at all. For this reason certain, it becomes essential to take appropriate precautions to protect all users involved at all times. Providing skate parks with safety systems can help make both those inside and outside the park to be safer. Sirens and beacons for instance would allow for easy communication and wider reach.

These devices can provide help not only prevent harm but also acquire faster help by raising awareness for all.

Why Hazavoid?

Hazavoid offers fully wireless solutions: the Hazavoid Wireless Alarm System (pictured above) and the Hazavoid Wireless Alert Beacon System come with a backup battery and solar panels. These devices allow for fast and easy safety measures at the push of a button, even without training. This means they are able to protect anyone who needs it, even in situations of high stress. The Hazavoid systems allow for wireless independent installations that reduce both costs and wait time. Able to provide both audio and visual cues, they help to protect an entire zone of concern, no matter the need. Users can easily customise their systems tones to suit specific or recurring concerns. The various beacon colours also allow for colour-coding to gauge urgency for instance. Users can also easily add or remove components as their needs and concerns change.