Treadmill Safety Tips to Prevent a Tragedy

Posted by amy in News

It’s always sad that we have to see a tragedy in order to give ourselves a safety check. That being said, the death of Mike Tyson’s 4 year old daughter, Exodus, due to an accidental hanging by a treadmill cord, reminds us that danger can lurk in every inch of our house.

Take a few minutes and familiarize yourself with these safety tips, provided by FitChix.com

1) The safety shutoff key. All treadmills have a safety key located somewhere on the console. The treadmill will not function without the safety key engaged. The key is designed to connect one end to your clothing and the other to the machine. When exercising, if you should slip/trip and fall, the safety key is designed to disengage, immediately stopping the tread belt.  For child safety, make sure that you never leave the safety key near machine when not in use. By removing and keeping the key out of reach from small children you will insure that the child cannot start the machine. Also, safety keys are often a small piece of molded plastic that can present a choking hazard,; another reason to remove them from the machine when not in use. Never purchase a treadmill in which the safety key does not fully disconnect and is not fully removable from the machine, as this will present a host of other potential unnecessary safety issues.

2) Safety Pass Code. Most high quality treadmills will allow you to choose the option of setting a simple secret pass code that must be entered each time you want to use your treadmill. This is a second layer of protection beyond the safety key that will stop your child from inadvertently turning the machine on even if the safety key is left in place. Most treadmills that offer this feature allow you to activate or deactivate it depending on your preference. Make sure you ask your fitness retailer about this feature and have them show you how to activate the setting.

<< Read the remaining Treadmill Safety Tips at Fit Chix.com >>

Reference Links:

The Tragic Death of Exodus Tyson: Home Accidents Are Too Common – Newsweek.com

8 Steps to Preventing Home Accidents – Prevention.com