Ski resort L*SNOW introduces new safety measures after accident

Shanghai L*SNOW Indoor Skiing Theme Resort has announced it will set up practice areas for beginners after a skier claimed he suffered a “severed finger” in a collision with another person at the facility.

The resort in Pudong New Area, which is currently in the internal testing phase and is scheduled to open on Friday, will also introduce a daily limit on the number of skiers and other safety measures to optimize operations and services, according to a report by Shanghai Radio on Wednesday.

The measures came after a woman's social media post went viral on Sunday claiming her boyfriend was hit from behind by a novice skier. He was taken to hospital to have his finger sewn back on, she said, but none of the ski resort staff accompanied him.

She then criticized the resort management for requiring beginners to hire a coach to access the beginner area, which resulted in many beginners skiing on intermediate slopes. She also criticized potential safety hazards at the site and the lack of timely assistance after the incident.

The resort said the man collided with another tourist on the snow slope at around 11 a.m. on Sunday. He fell and his right little finger was injured by one of the tourist's skis.

Other incidents of injuries at the venue have emerged on social media, but none have been as serious.

In its latest response, the resort operator said staff are currently investigating the issues identified and are gradually correcting them after the resort underwent a month of internal testing.

Among the improvements are clearly visible safety signs at the cable car entrance, at the arrival point and at the entrance to the snow slopes at the top of the mountain, reminding that the project's snow slopes have a relatively high level of difficulty and that beginners and people with no skiing experience should be careful.

The resort is also considering increasing safety risk warnings through multiple channels and setting up practice areas suitable for beginners without the additional cost of hiring a trainer, according to the report.

In order to counteract concentrated flows of visitors at certain times, a daily limit on the number of skiers will also be introduced.

The incident has set off alarm bells among ski enthusiasts, and thorough preparation before skiing is key to avoiding sports injuries, said Yu Xiaowei, head of the orthopedic department of Shanghai's Sixth People's Hospital.

Warm-up exercises are essential to prevent injuries such as sprained ligaments. Equipment should be complete and meet safety standards, with particular emphasis on protecting key areas such as elbows and knees, Yu said.

Knowing your own skiing level and choosing suitable slopes and partners can reduce the number of accidents, Yu added.