Playground Safety

Each year, thousands of children wind up in hospital emergency rooms because of playground accidents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that over 200 thousand children go to the emergency room every year with injuries from playground equipment. About 35 percent of those injuries are severe (e.g., fractures, internal injuries, concussions, dislocations, amputations, crushes). Some 60 percent of the injuries occur in a fall of some sort from the equipment. Deaths happen about 20 times a year, a third of them from falls (Read about "Head Injury"), more then half from strangulation.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says that keeping kids at home isn't much safer. In fact, according to CDC, backyard playgrounds can be even more deadly than public playgrounds. CDC says that almost three-fourths of the deaths in home locations resulted from hangings from ropes, cords, homemade rope swings, and other similar items. New safety standards, aimed at reducing the risk of strangulation, require that ropes be secured at both ends and that makers of home equipment warn against attaching additional ropes.

The statistics are frightening, but there is some hope. Although parents may not be able to prevent all childhood injuries, they can help by either avoiding playground equipment that can increase the likelihood of injury, or by reporting it so it can be fixed.

Protective surfacing

CPSC says the surface is the most critical factor in playground safety. Asphalt, concrete, even grass, lack the ability to absorb shock during a fall. Protective surfacing under and around playground equipment can absorb some of the shock during a fall and can therefore help reduce the extent of injury. CPSC says certain loose-fill materials such as double-shredded bark mulch, are acceptable, as are certain manufactured synthetic surfaces, so long as test data from the manufacturer is acceptable. Any protective surfacing should extend beyond the outer edges of the playground equipment, since children may swing or jump outwards during play. Surfacing should also be maintained and replaced if damaged or worn.

Parents should also check the area surrounding the playground for potential dangers, such as ditches, pools or other sources of water. (Read about "Water Safety")

Equipment

The actual playground equipment should also be designed to minimize the risk of injury. Swings should be set far enough apart. Elevated platforms should have guardrails to prevent falls. Openings or crawl areas should be large enough that a child's head won't get trapped inside or between the bars. Any moving parts should be structured to avoid a pinching or crushing hazard. In addition, CPSC recommends being aware of the following potentially dangerous conditions:

• loose or worn hardware
• exposed equipment footings
• litter or debris
• rusted or chipped paint
• splintered or cracked wood components
• deteriorated or corroded ground connections
• missing components such as guardrails or seats

If any such conditions are present, they should be removed or repaired to help prevent injury.

In addition, the National Program for Playground Safety also suggests that supervisors should be present and actively observing all ages of children on playgrounds. This includes making sure children's shoes and clothing offer protection and do not have loose strings. Supervisors should be prepared for any emergency.

For home playgrounds, CPSC suggests homeowners consider the following:

• Install and maintain at least 9 inches of wood chips, mulch or shredded rubber for play equipment up to 7 feet high. Or, use surfacing mats made of safety-tested rubber or rubber-like materials.
• Install protective surfacing at least six feet in all directions from play equipment. For swings, the surface should extend, in back and front, twice the height of the suspending bar.
• Never attach ropes, jump ropes, clotheslines or pet leashes to the equipment. This can present a serious strangulation hazard to children.
• Make sure you smooth over any sharp points or edges, and cover open S-hooks or protruding bolts.
• Check for openings in guardrails or between ladder rungs. Spaces less than 3 1/2 inches or more than 9 inches present an entrapment hazard.

Finally, because of developmental differences in preschool and school-aged children, playground designs should include separate equipment and play areas for children ages 2-5 and 5-12. Designing playgrounds to include physically and visually challenged children is also important.

Related Information:

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    Safety Equipment

    Avoid Sports Injury