悉尼西南部一座投资450万美元的新游乐场内的管道滑梯在开放仅三周后因多起伤害事件而被关闭[1]。其中一名30多岁的男性因使用该滑梯遭腿部伤害[1]。
这类大型管道滑梯设计高度超过1.2米，具有速度快、弯道多等特点，容易在使用者滑行时增加重力加速度[1]。安全隐患在于，儿童在恐惧心理驱使下可能做出危险动作，如伸出胳膊或腿部，从而导致扭伤或骨折[1]。2022年新南威尔士州的另一条管道滑梯曾因多起严重伤害而关闭，包括一名4岁女童双腿骨折的事件[1]。
鉴于这些风险，专家给出了具体建议：身高低于1.2米的儿童不应使用此类滑梯；家长不应将孩子坐在腿上一起滑行；应主动监督学龄前儿童的使用[1]。澳大利亚安全标准委员会去年发布的新指南也针对管道滑梯设施进行了规范，包括降低坡度和延长滑行出口区等改进措施[1]。
A newly constructed playground in southwestern Sydney, which cost A$4.5 million, closed its tube slide facility just three weeks after opening due to several injury incidents [1]. Among those hurt was a man in his thirties who sustained leg injuries requiring medical attention [1].
The tube slide's design characteristics contributed to the safety concerns, featuring heights exceeding 1.2 meters, high speeds, and multiple curves that generate significant g-forces [1]. Experts identified that the slide's design can trigger fear-based reactions in children, leading them to make dangerous movements such as extending their arms or legs, which can result in sprains or fractures [1]. A comparable incident occurred in 2022 when another tube slide in New South Wales closed following multiple serious injuries, including a four-year-old girl who sustained fractures to both legs [1].
In response to these safety issues, Australia's safety standards committee released new guidelines for tube slides last year, recommending reduced slope angles and extended exit zones for riders [1]. Safety experts advise that children shorter than 1.2 meters should not use such slides, parents should avoid holding children on their laps while sliding, and caregivers should actively supervise preschool-aged children during playground use [1].
