Bungee Jump Safety

Jumping 500 feet off a bridge with a rope tied around your ankle might not sound like a good time, but for some people, bungee jumping is the ultimate free-fall thrill. That rope is not any rope but a bungee cord that pulls a jumper back into the air after a free fall over a forest or river. Designed and constructed as a safe adventure sport, bungee jumping has its risks, but if jumpers follow instructions the most you'll feel is a head rush when you look back up at the fall you just survived.

  1. Physics

    • A spring offers an example of bungee jumping as converted energy.

      Physicists regard bungee jumping as a dramatic demonstration of the conservation of energy. They know that gravitational potential energy at the top of the jump is converted to elastic potential energy at the bottom. The basic equations involved have been used for years to describe events in which loads are suddenly applied to springs. The bungee cord is simply a very weak spring yielding large spring deflections and rather small force magnitudes.

    Health Considerations

    • If someone you know is planning on bungee jumping for a thrill, there are strict safety guidelines they must follow. A person's height and weight must stay between the target range that varies for body-harness jumping or ankle jumping gear. The weight and height requirements ensure a person fits properly in the gear and that they do not exceed the cord's weight limit.

      Individuals suffering from abnormal blood pressure, heart rate or rhythm, back or leg disorders, breathing or circulatory disorders, head injuries, possible pregnancy or recent surgery should not jump or should consult a doctor for further preventive injury measures.

    Risks

    • Some minor injuries occur from bungee jumping. These include minor skin burn from gripping the cord when they are not supposed to. Some jumpers report that the cord snaps upward and slaps them in the face. As of 2010, serious injury inflicted by the cord, such as strangulation, has not been reported at modern-day jump site. Many participants enjoy somersaulting during the free-fall without any injury or hazardous effects.

    Proper Equipment

    • Bungee jumping equipment is basic, but properly using it is crucial to a safe jump. Bungee jumping companies use ankle harnesses that secures the bungee to the body by the ankle in combination with a body harness (similar to a rock climbing support vest), which adds extra safety.

      Also, safe jumping requires a sturdy and stable structure from which to anchor the bungee cord---such as steel railings on a bridge or safety fence. Experts use specific weight-bearing knots to secure a jumper's free-fall. In the unlikely event of a bungee breaking, some companies place an airbag, webbing or a safety-sling at the bottom of the jump space.

    Training

    • Adventure companies and individual bungee jumping groups suggest comprehensive training courses for jumping enthusiasts who plan to continue in the sport. Training courses involve rescue training, bungee training and an apprenticeship shadowing period. Trainees learn safety inspection, cord testing, equipment and site maintenance, harnessing and free-fall procedures. They leave the course with the knowledge to assist jumpers safely as long as they are still supervised by a group of experts.

    Expert Insight

    • If any weight (person) is added to any system (bungee cord) suddenly or dynamically (at the moment the rope snaps back), the minimum force imposed is twice as great as the static load (the person strapped in to the rope). This means the person will bounce back up, not drop off the rope or cause the rope to snap. At a minimum, a person's body weight causes the rope to spring up with twice as much force.