There were two fatalities associated with Hawaii zip-line tours last year. The incidents raised concerns and brought the issue to the attention of visitors, locals and the Hawaii state legislature.
Last March, an Indiana man who complained of fatigue collapsed and died after completing a zipline tour in Princeville on Kauai. Then in September, one person was killed and another was injured in a zip-line accident at Honolii Mountain Outpost at Puaka’a on the Big Island. An employee doing a test run died when a tower collapsed. No paying customers were involved in that accident. The incident pointed out that there are no zip-line workplace safety regulations here in Hawaii.
While zip-line incidents remain rare, proactive Hawaii zip-line operators have been working with the State to help enact safety legislation for the fast growing industry. The bill has been postponed until next year however. The enforcing Dept. of Labor and Industrial Standards opposed the bill because current staffing was deemed inadequate in both time and expertise. The onus is now on the state to figure this one out.
Zip-Lining Has Been Around for 300 Years
It’s anything but a new invention and is a descendant from the rope sliding of the 1700’s. In China it’s still regularly used as a means of transportation to cross rivers. The aerial activity is growing exponentially more popular and I’ve heard that the number of venues in Hawaii may double in upcoming years.
Safety Suggestions
1. Make sure you are in good enough shape to get on and off, and hike to and from the actual ride, typically over uneven hilly terrain.
2. Be aware that most zip-lines require you to be between approximately 70 and 270 lbs in weight.
3. Tours are not suggested for those with heart conditions and any recent bone and joint injuries or surgeries.
4. Pregnant women are not allowed to zip-line.
5. You must wear closed toe shoes.
6. Be prepared to sign a liability waiver.
What Are Your Zip-Line Experiences?
We’d love to hear from you.
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My wife and I have zip-lined both in Princeville and on the big island. Both had good guides and we felt safe although it is possible to get banged up with a bad landing.
We took a ziplining tour in Princeville about seven years ago – when we returned home we compared notes with my brother in law and his wife who had just returned from Costa Rica. It sounds like their adventure was terribly unsafe compared to what we encountered. Aside from my own fear of heights and bridges, I never felt unsafe.
I think it’s also unfair to count the man who suffered from fatigue and collapsed as a ziplining fatality since he could have just as easily collapsed from fatigue while standing in line for shave ice.
A few years ago, my family and I traveled to Maui and one of the most memorable events we took part in was a down-hill bike ride down Haleakula. This fantastic ride from the top of the volcano in the observatory parking lot to the beach was amazing…Unfortunately, due to lack of regulation and injuries and deaths from people lying on the form about their biking abilities, these bike tour companies were forced to close…
I hope the same thing doesn’t happen to ziplining. Again, I plan to visit Maui this year and again, I’ll be bringing my family and this time we plan to zipline….I anticipate a fun time…if they’re still doing it by the time we get to Maui!
Hi I ziplined on the big island in 2010 with Eco tours. It was a thrilling experience. Our tour guides Braxton and Buddha were well informed and informative and I never felt unsafe. I highly recommend the experience if you’re willing to take the risk.
Had the BEST Ziplining at North Shore Zipline in Maui on February 24, 2012. Weight limit is 270 — I’m just under that — was my first time and with my 71 year old Mom it was also her first time…….an experience we will never forget as it was wonderful! The crew made us feel relaxed and confident in their abilities. Would love to post pics if I could figure out how to do it. We did check with various people and companies and found North Shore Ziplining came up most often.
They let me zip line into a pole! Terrible and painful experience.