public playground safety basics for child health liaisons
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Public Playground Safety Basics
For Child Health Liaisons
“Public” Playground Means:
Equipment for use in the play areas of parks, schools, child care facilities, institutions, multiple family dwellings, restaurants and recreational developments.
What’s the Law in the U.S?
There is no U.S national playground safety law. Several states have passed public playground
safety laws (Colorado is NOT one of them).
Injury Statistics
To Gain Insight Into How and Why Injuries Occur.
Injury Overview
40 million children between the ages of 2-12 are injured every year.
205,850 estimated playground equipment related injuries.
76% public. 24% residential.
Hazard Patterns – Falls 79%
68% falls to surface 10% falls to other parts
of the equipment 1% unknown 4 out of 5 accidents are
due to falls
Hazard PatternsImpact 11% - Misc. 10%
Impact with stationary equipment 8%.
Impact with moving equipment 3%.
Miscellaneous injuries: Generally contact with
pinch points and sharp edges.
Priority 1 Hazard
Any hazard that could cause an injury which could result in:
Death Brain damage Permanent paralysis Loss of vision Loss of speech Loss of limb Organ destruction
Major Cause of Death & Seriously Debilitating Injury
ENTANGLEMENT of clothing, strings or ropes (#1 cause of deaths)
FALLS to hard underlying surfaces (#2 cause of deaths)
IMPACT by moving swings, tipped or loose equipment (#3 cause of deaths)
Why Do Children Die on Playgrounds
Falls – A 7 year old boy died when he fell from top of a 10’ high slide hitting his head on a concrete footer.
Entanglement – A 3 year old girl died when the string from her mittens became entangled on the side rails of the slide, causing her jacket to pull up around her neck.
Entrapment – A 2 year old boy died when his head became entrapped between the horizontal rails of a climber.
Impact – A 6 year old girl died when she was struck in the head with a heavy animal swing form.
Ages of Those Injured on Playgrounds
< 2 yrs = 3% 2-4 yrs = 27% 5-9 yrs= 56% 10-12 yrs = 12% 13-14 yrs = 2 %
Causes of Playground Injuries
43% equipment use and lack of supervision
37% poor maintenance 10% improper
equipment 7% poor installation 3% poor layout
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layoutinstall.equip.mainten.use&sup.
Hazard Identification
Purpose: to Reduce the Number and Severity of Life Threatening and Seriously Debilitating Injuries
Head Entrapment
Playground equipment built before the year 1991 will have head entrapments.
Children less that 5 years of age are more likely to get head entrapment when they go feet first.
Head entrapment probes are used to test bounded openings between 3 ½ to 9 inches.
Bicycle Helmets and Head Entrapments
There is a “hidden hazard” of strangulation if a child wears a helmet while playing on playground equipment.
Two children have died from wearing bicycle helmets during play and died due to hanging from the helmet strap.
Arch Climbers
NOT recommended for pre-school age (children can go up, but can’t come down.
If attached to a platform it’s o.K.
Balance Beams
Height 2-5 yrs< 12 inches 5-12 yrs<16 inches
No trip hazards
Guardrails & Barriers
2-5 year oldGuardrailsGreater than 20 inchesMin. Height of 29 inchesMax. Opening at lower boundary
23 inches
Protective barriersGreater than 30 inchesMin. Height 29 inchesNo opening allows passage of
torso probe
5-12 year oldGuardrailsGreater than 30 inchesMin. height of 38 inchesMax. opening at lower boundary
28 inches
Protective BarriersGreater than 48 inchesMin. height 38 inchesNo opening allows passage of
torso probe
Metal Slides
Not recommended in Colorado
May be O.K if there is adequate shading
Slides Continued
Use zone for slides must be the height of the slide plus 4 feet with a min. Of 6 feet.
Note: use zone is the surface under and around a piece of play equipment onto which a child might land when falling from or exiting the equipment.
Swings
Only two swings per bay. Only one rotating (tire)
swing per bay. May not have infant
swing and regular swing in same bay.
Swings Continued
Use zone for swings is twice the height of the swing frame. It must extend both in front and in back.
Other Hazards
Tires on playgrounds must have adequate drainage holes so water does not pool.
Pools and Sand Boxes
Wading pools must be emptied after every use!
Sand boxes must be covered when not in use so water does not collect inside.
Wooden Structures
Not recommended for Colorado’s dry climate.
Constant maintenance required to prevent splinters.
May be treated with creosote or have a lead paint surface.
Playground Surfacing
Purpose: to Reduce the Severity of Injuries Due to Falls
Pea Gravel
Gravel loses some resilience in cold weather.
Recommended that 7 inches of pea gravel for equipment that is 6 feet high.
May become a fall hazard when tracked on concrete.
Requires continuous maintenance.
Children may put in their noses and ears.
Sand
Becomes compact in Colorado winter weather and loses its resiliency.
Sanitation concerns because it is susceptible to fouling by animals.
High maintenance because of displacement under swings and slides.
Wood Chips
Requires good drainage. Should be topped every
3 years. Displacement will occur
under slides and swings. Lightweight so easy to
rake and maintain.
Shredded Rubber
Lightweight so easy to rake and maintain.
Non-toxic if swallowed. Does not decompose. Most resilient product on the
market. Does not get as hot as sand
or pea gravel. More expensive than wood
chips.
Unitary Synthetic Materials: Rubber Tiles/pour in Place Rubber
Good surface for infant or toddlers to crawl.
ADA compliant. Clean and easy to
maintain. Must be professionally
installed. Weather must be mild
when installed. Very expensive.
Grass
Not Allowed As a Cushioning Material Under Equipment!
Exemptions to Surfacing
Ground level play -
Standing or seating equipment does not need
surfacing
Playground Safety
Be Pro-active Not
Re-active!
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