1. Make sure adult supervision is present at
the playground.
It is estimated that more than 40 percent of playground injuries may
be in some way related to inadequate supervision. Children should always
be observed when playing on playground equipment. Adults need to watch
for potential hazards, observe children playing, intercede and facilitate
play when necessary and be available in case an injury occurs.
2. Guide children to
play on age-appropriate equipment.
Children are developmentally different. Therefore, equipment designed
for children ages 5 to 12 is too big for children ages 2 to 5. Different
playing areas for each of the age groups should be available and children
should only play on their age-appropriate equipment.
3. Survey the play area
and make sure it is free of apparent hazards.
When visiting a play area, first visually survey the area and check to
see that there are no apparent immediate hazards. Hazards range from broken
glass or metal pieces lying around to playground design that creates congestion
among the play equipment where children could collide or fall on each
other. If the area is near a street or parking lot, make sure there is
fencing to prevent the children from running in front of cars. Look for
signs designating the separate play areas for 2 to 5 and 5 to 12 year
olds. Be sure that metal equipment is in shaded areas or has a protective
surface to prevent burns.
4. Check the playground
surface for cushioned surfacing beneath equipment and its fall areas.
Falls to surfaces are responsible for more than 70 percent of the injuries
sustained on playgrounds. Improper surfacing is the leading cause of many
of those injuries. Hard surfaces such as asphalt, blacktop, concrete,
grass, packed dirt or rocks should not be used. A fall to those surfaces
could be life threatening. Acceptable surfaces include hardwood fiber/mulch,
pea gravel and sand. Other options include synthetic surfaces such as
rubber tiles, mats or poured surfaces.
Surfaces should be maintained to a depth proportionate to the height of
equipment. A good guideline would be to use 12-inches of loose fill, such
as mulch, pea gravel or sand, for equipment up to eight feet in height.
Manufacturers of synthetic surfaces should make recommendations of the
depth of their products depending on equipment height.
Loose-fill surfaces may need to be pushed back
underneath equipment for adequate cushioning if the material has been
moved or pushed to the edge of the play area. Cushioned surfacing should
be provided under all equipment and its fall zones. Therefore, it should
be extended a minimum of six feet in all directions from the perimeter
of the equipment.
5. Examine equipment such as ladders, platforms and steps.
Climbers and monkey bars are popular equipment that promote strength and
coordination skills. However, they also have the highest incidence of
injury on public playgrounds and need to be closely supervised. Check
to see if steps on climbers are in good condition and that handrails have
appropriate grip sizes for children.
If the climber has a platform, it should be
surrounded with a guardrail or protective barrier. The choice of protection
depends on the age level of children using the equipment and the height
of the platform. For platforms for younger children, the guardrails and
protective barriers should be at least 29" high; for school-aged
children, the barriers should be at least 38" high.
6. Survey types and quality of swings.
Swings also are favorite equipment that need close observation. They are
the pieces of moving equipment that are most likely to cause injuries.
For preventative measures, the following changes are suggested: remove
animal swings; remove metal or wooden seats and replace with soft seats;
make sure swings are on a separate framework rather than attached to other
equipment.
Only two swings should be placed in each bay
(or framework) that supports the swings. Swings should be positioned at
least 24" apart at the base of the seats and 30" from any supports.
Swings should have a fall zone that is twice
the height of the pivot or swing hanger in front and in back of the swing
seats. For example, if the hanger pivot height is 10 feet, the fall zone
must be 20 feet in front and 20 feet in back of the swing seat. The fall
zone also should extend six feet to each side of the support structure.
7. Check out the slides.
Slides should be well anchored, have firm handrails for gripping and steps
with good traction. Steps should have drainage holes to make them less
slippery. There should be no spaces between the slide platform and the
slide bed where strings from clothing could catch and cause strangulation.
Make sure metal slides are shaded or covered to prevent burns in hot sun.
8. Review the seesaw area.
Make sure the handles of the seesaw are secure and of a size and design
that children can grip easily. Check to see if there is a soft bumper
under the bottom of the seat to cushion the hit to the surface and that
all pivot points are covered to prevent pinched fingers.
9. Inspect the action
of merry-go-rounds.
Merry-go-rounds should be firmly anchored into the ground and have handles
for children to grasp easily. The surface under the bed of the merry-go-round
should be positioned so that children cannot slide underneath. The gear
box should be covered so fingers cannot get caught . Finally, a governor
should be attached to control the ultimate speed of the unit.
10. Be a good neighbor.
Be sure to leave the area in as good a condition as you found it (or better,
if you have spotted problems). Have the children help you redistribute
any loose surfacing that may have been pushed aside by play back under
swings and the bottom of slides. Close any gates that may be open.
If you have found problems that you have not
been able to handle yourself, contact the administrator of the play area
to suggest changes and point out problems. If an injury occurred, make
sure to contact the administrator of the play area and report the injury,
the condition of the play area at the time, and any factors that may have
been related to the incident.
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