Playground Safety

Playground Safety
Amy Hill

Defining the Playground Injury Problem

Defining the Playground Injury Problem

The Playground Problem The Playground Injury Injury Problem (1)

Each year, Emergency Departments

treat about 200,000 children 15 years old and younger for playground related injuries. Surgeons estimates 527,000 children are treated in hospitals, Emergency departments, doctors offices, and ambulatory surgery centers.

The American Academy of Orthopedic

The Playground Problem The Playground Injury Injury Problem (2)

45 percent of the playground injuries 75 percent of the non-fatal injuries

that take place are severe: fractures, concussions, and dislocations. take place on public playgrounds like those in schools and parks.

70 percent of the deaths that take

place on playgrounds happen on home playgrounds.

The Playground Problem The Playground Injury Injury Problem (3)

Falls to the surface cause 70 percent Entanglement of clothing, strings and

ropes are the number one cause of deaths on playgrounds of the injuries on playgrounds

Other dangers include:

Head entrapment in equipment openings Impact by moving swings Tripping on loose equipment

The Playground Problem The Playground Injury Injury Problem (4)

Head and face injuries are most Arm and hand injuries are most

common in children under 4 years old. common among children 5 -14 years of age.

Playground Injuries are Preventable

Playground Injuries Are Preventable

Follow the SAFE Model Follow the SAFE Model

Supervision & Survey Age appropriate and design Fall Surface Cushioning Equipment Maintenance
* Adapted from the National Program for Playground Safety

S Supervision S --Supervision

To properly supervise children they

need to be seen spaces

They need to be visible in crawl Playground rules should be posted

- Survey S S Survey (1)

Before children are allowed to play in

playgrounds: Look for Safety Hazards

Look for broken glass, litter, pieces of

metal and other sharp objects. is not hot.

In summer, check metal equipment to make sure it

- Survey S S Survey (2)

Make sure there are no tripping hazards like:

tree stumps

exposed concrete missing rubber tiles pot holes

= Age-Appropriate A A Age-Appropriate Design (1)

Equipment & Design

Children develop different skills at Equipment designed for children 5-12

Platforms elevated more than 20
is too big for children ages 2-5.
inches above the ground need guardrails or protective barriers for ages 2-5 year olds and those higher than 30 inches need barriers for 5-12 year olds. different ages.

= Age-Appropriate A A Age-Appropriate Design (2)

Equipment & Design
For 2-5 year olds consider:

Activity Panels Swings Tot Swings Small slides Lower Platforms

= Age-Appropriate A A Age-Appropriate Design (3)

Equipment & Design
For 5 -12 year olds consider:

Swings Tire Swings Horizontal Ladders Chain Climbers Free Standing Arch Climbers Sliding Poles

F = Fall to Safe Surfaces

Surfacing must be provided under all equipment, and there must be at least a 6 foot fall zone around all equipment.
For swings the length of the fall zone should be twice the height of the beam from which the swing hangs

F Fall to Safe Surfaces (1)

F = Fall to Safe Surfaces

Never use materials such as asphalt, blacktop, grass, packed dirt, or rocks under playground equipment.

F Fall to Safe Surfaces (2)

Falls from one foot onto a concrete

surface can cause a concussion.

Falls from eight feet onto dirt is the

same as a child hitting a brick wall traveling 30 miles per hour.

F = Fall to Safe Surfaces

It is best not to use loose-fill materials such as wood chips, mulch, pea gravel, shredded tires, and sand because of the high maintenance required.

F Fall to Safe Surfaces (3)

General rule:

loose fill surfacing must be maintained at a depth of 12 inches especially in heavily used areas under swings and at the bottom of slides. regularly to removed glass and other debris

Loose-fill surfacing must be cleaned

Do use unitary surfacing such as rubber tiles, mats, or poured surfaces.

E = Equipment Maintenance
Check to make sure that equipment is:

E Equipment Maintenance (1)

anchored safely into the ground well maintained free of broken parts has no noticeable gaps less than
3 1/2 inches or more than 9 inches

E = Equipment Maintenance
Check to make sure that the equipment is free of:

E Equipment Maintenance (2)

dangerous hardware like protruding sharp points or edges splinters cracks or holes

bolts and improperly closed s-hooks.

Why are Safe Playgrounds Important?

Why are Safe Playgrounds Important?

Why Are Play/Playgrounds Important? Why are Play/Playgrounds Important?

Play is how children learn about

objects and social relations

Play is the work of children

Play is the vehicle for the infant/child

to be able to make sense of the world (Piaget) environment in which children play

Quality of play is affected by the

Why is Outdoor Play Important? (1) Why is Outdoor Play important?

Slides and climbing equipment assist with the development of motor skills

Elevation assists with developing different perspectives

Imagination is stimulated

Why is Outdoor Play Important? (2) Why is Outdoor Play important?

Children learn about cause and effect, physical mastery and manipulation. Children learn how to get along with other children. Children avoid obesity through physical activity

Further Information For For Further Information

Contact:
Consumer Product Safety Commission
www.cpsc.gov 1-800-638-2772

National Program for Playground

Safety
www.PlaygroundSafety.org 1-800-554-PLAY

National Recreation and Park

Association
www.nrpa.org 1-800-626-NRPA