Water Walking Balls Pose 'Deadly Danger,' Feds Warn

Here's a deadly danger we'll bet you've never thought of – the risk of drowning or suffocating while water-walking.

Water-walking. It's a new water recreation that's becoming popular at carnivals, amusement parks, malls and so forth. The way it works is, you climb into a see-through plastic ball, someone zips it up and off you go – walking on water, ice or grass.

But the problem, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), is that there's no emergency exit – meaning you can't get out of the ball by yourself. If the ball springs a leak, you could drown. If you suffer an injury or sudden medical emergency, you won't be able to let yourself out.

Also, says the CPSC, pre-existing medical conditions, such as heart, lung, or breathing issues, can be made worse by use of the water-walking balls.

Several states have banned or refused to provide permits for rides that use the balls. And CPSC says it is aware of two incidents involving the balls.

In one, a child was found unresponsive after being inside the ball for a very brief period of time, and emergency medical treatment was sought. In the second incident, a person inside of a ball suffered a fracture when the ball fell out of the shallow, above-ground pool onto the hard ground.

CPSC is warning consumers that there is a combination of risks associated with this product, including the potential for suffocation, as well as the potential for drowning and impact injuries.

Because the ball is airtight, an inadequate air supply can result when oxygen is depleted and carbon dioxide accumulates inside the ball. Such a dangerous scenario can occur in as little as a few minutes.

Because the water walking balls have no padding, impact injuries can occur if the balls collide with each other, or fall out of the pool onto concrete or other hard surfaces, such as ice or tile.

These water walking balls are also being used on open water, creating the potential for injuries if the ball is struck by a boat or strikes a solid object, such as a buoy or pier. Additionally, the balls present a high risk of drowning if there is a leak or a puncture.

CPSC has informed state amusement ride officials of the risks associated with this product and encourages state officials not to permit this ride in their state. CPSC does not know of any safe way to use this product.