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Bungee Cord Dangers

Bungee cords are used by those who are daring thrill-seekers and like to dive off high bridges while attached to a bungee cord, but they are also used to restrain loads and hold down tarps. Bungee cords are easy to use for holding things in place. The hooks are a versatile connector. But when you release the hooks, it produces a high-speed flailing hazard.

  1. High-Speed Release

    • You can be struck in the face or another part of your body when a bungee cord becomes unattached The high speed of the release is the result of stored energy. When a bungee cord hook comes unsnapped, it can snap back into your face and strike your eyes, which can damage your eyes and even cause blindness. A bungee cord has the capacity to recoil at 60 mph. If the hooks are still attached to the cord, the hook or hooks can cause serious damage, particularly to eyes.

    Design

    • A bungee cord is designed out of elastic material and features an S-shaped or J-shaped hooks on either both ends of the cord. If the cord is stretched beyond its capacity, it can recoil, and this is when injuries occurred to those standing in the vicinity of the cord.

    Damage to the Eye

    • When struck by a bungee cord hook, bleeding can occur in the eye as well as mild to serious eye loss. Injuries have been so severe that the eye had to be removed. When the eye is struck, this can detach the retina from the back of the eye or tear the retina, and it also can cause traumatic cataracts and lacerations.

    Other Malfunctions

    • Other dangers of bungee cords include when the hook comes loose from where it is attached or the hook straightens out or detaches from the cord. Sometimes a bungee cord will simply break.

    How Most Injuries Occur

    • Most bungee cord injuries occur when the cord hook is released from the object it was secured to and not because of hook or cord failure, according to "The Edmonton Journal."

    Risks of Bungee Jumping

    • Those who engage in bungee jumping face obvious risks. Deaths or injuries generally occur when there is equipment malfunction or someone has miscalculated how long the cord should be. If the cord is too long, the jumper can hit the ground. Many of the cord-related injuries that are sustained by jumpers include cord burns to the body and pinched fingers. A jumper can get entangled with the cord, which leaves the body suspended by the neck, which leads to asphyxia and death.

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