Treadmills

Risks and injuries

Young children are most at risk of injury from treadmills. Most injuries happen when a baby or toddler moves to the back of the treadmill where they are out of sight and either touch the moving belt or gets their hand caught under it.

Treadmills can cause:

• severe friction burns (these can take many months to heal and may even require a skin graft)
• bruising and abrasions
• blunt trauma
• amputation.

Don’t risk it, follow our tips to stay safe.

Safety requirements

Treadmills must comply with the mandatory safety standard set out in the Trade Practices (Consumer Product Safety Standard) (Treadmills) Regulations 2009.

According to this standard, all treadmills (except those purchased before 2009) must have a permanent warning label with the following message:

• ‘WARNING: Keep young children away from this machine at all times. Contact with the moving surface may result in severe friction burns.’
• The word ‘WARNING’ must be bold and uppercase.
• The uppercase letters must not be less than 5mm and the lowercase letters not less than 2.5mm in height.
• This warning label must be separate from any other warning label.

Your consumer rights

As a consumer, you have the right to expect that the goods you buy are safe.

Australian Consumer Law requires safety standards to be met before certain goods are sold. These standards include:

• the way the good is made
• what it contains
• how it works
• the tests it needs to pass
• whether any warnings or instructions need to accompany it.

Individual suppliers who breach Australian Consumer Law can be fined up to $220,000, while corporations can be fined up to $1.1 million.

How to report a product safety concern

IMPORTANT: If you are injured or require urgent medical assistance, don’t delay - contact your GP or call 000 immediately.

If you become aware of an unsafe situation or item, whether or not anyone has been injured:

1. Alert the supplier about the issue.
2. You can also report it us by calling 13 32 20 or making a complaint online, or report the matter to Product Safety Australia.

Be a savvy consumer

Using a treadmill safely

• If you can, use your treadmill in the room away from young children.
• If this is not possible:
  • use safety barriers like a playpen to keep children away from the treadmill
  • do not use your treadmill when young children are around
• Always keep your treadmill unplugged when not in use.
• Store your treadmill well away from children’s reach.
• Always supervise older children if they are using a treadmill.
• When you buy a new treadmill choose one with protective covers and a safety stop switch.

Further information

Browse our Product safety section for more information on a range of product types including baby and children’s products, gas and electrical goods, and other consumer items.

The Product Safety Australia website is managed by the ACCC and has lots of information on product safety and national recalls.

Go to Kidsafe NSW for information to help make your home safe for young children.

Suppliers can find out more about their responsibilities on the selling safe products page.

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Call us on 13 32 20 or submit an online enquiry.