Playground Safety. Site Selection and Layout. Equipment Selection

Transcription

1 Playgrund Safety A playgrund ffers a place f fun and recreatin fr the children f yur church r synaggue. Hwever, imprperly installed r maintained playgrund equipment can cause serius falls and injuries t children. In fact, the Cnsumer Prduct Safety Cmmissin estimates that mre than 200,000 children were seen in the emergency rm in the past year due t injuries sustained n a playgrund. The mst cmmn injuries were fractures (39 percent), fllwed by laceratins (22 percent), cntusins/abrasins and strains/sprains. While nt all accidents can be avided, the fllwing tips will help make the church playgrund a safer place. Site Selectin and Layut When chsing a lcatin t build a playgrund, cnsider the fllwing items: Build the playgrund in a lcatin that will eliminate any bstacles r hazards children culd encunter when traveling t and frm the playgrund site. Fr example, children shuld nt have t crss a street r travel thrugh a parking lt t get t the playgrund. Prvide apprpriate bundaries arund the playgrund, such as fences r landscape hedges, s that children cannt leave and thers cannt enter the playgrund area unnticed. Separate areas fr physical activities, such as play equipment r pen fields, frm areas fr mre passive r quiet activities, such as sandbx play. Make sure that playgrund equipment is designed fr different develpmental age grups. Fr example, equipment designed fr ages tw t five shuld be kept separate frm that designed fr ages five t twelve. Spread arund heavily used pieces f equipment t avid crwding in any ne area. Make sure there are n visual barriers between equipment and activity areas s that thse supervising children can keep a clear line f sight. Equipment Selectin Use nly cmmercial grade playgrund equipment and have it installed accrding t the manufacturer s recmmendatins. Residential grade playgrund equipment will nt withstand cntinual use and will increase the likelihd f expsure t injury. Cnsider which age grups will be using the equipment and purchase it accrdingly.

2 Playgrund Safety 2 Request detailed prduct infrmatin frm the U.S. Cnsumer Prduct Safety Cmmissin, Washingtn, D.C , r visit Avid installing any hazardus types f equipment, including the fllwing: Animal figure swings and/r spring laded equipment. Exercise rings (as used in gymnastics) and trapeze bars. Glider swings that hld mre than ne child at a time. Merry-g-runds. Metal slides. Mnkey bars. Peple use the terms mnkey bars, jungle gyms, and climbing equipment interchangeably, but actual mnkey bars are a specific type f climbing equipment with interir bars frm which a child may fall frm a height greater than 18 inches. In the early 1980s, the Centers fr Disease Cntrl and Preventin stated that mnkey bars were unsuitable fr safe playgrunds. Seesaws and ld-style teeter-ttters. Swings with seats that are made f wd, metal. r hard plastic. Seats shuld be made f rubber r canvas. Swinging rpes that can fray, unravel, r frm a nse. Any kind f rpe attached t play equipment pses a strangulatin hazard, s never let children tie jump rpes r pet leashes nt the equipment. Tramplines. These are never apprpriate fr safe playgrunds. Gd Play Grund Equipment Example This pht shws an excellent example f cmmercial grade playgrund equipment that is being well maintained. Nte that the equipment has been prvided with 1) an adequate amunt f shck absrbing material in and arund the playgrund equipment; and2) is lcated an adequate distance away frm any ther pieces f equipment t prevent vercrwding.

3 Playgrund Safety 3 Playgrund Surfaces Nearly 70 percent f injuries n a playgrund result frm a fall. The surface in and arund playgrund equipment can be a majr factr in determining the injury causing ptential f a fall. A fall nt a shck absrbing surface is less likely t cause an injury than a fall nt a hard surface. Because head injuries frm a fall can be life threatening, the mre shck absrbing a surface can be made, the greater the likelihd f reducing severe injuries. Avid the fllwing: Asphalt r cncrete are unsuitable fr use under and arund playgrund equipment. Earth surfaces, such as sil and hard packed dirt als are nt recmmended because they have pr shck absrbing prperties. Grass and turf are nt recmmended because wear and envirnmental cnditins can reduce their effectiveness in absrbing shck during a fall. Use the fllwing: Make sure surfaces arund playgrund equipment have at least 9 t 12 inches f wd chips, mulch, sand, r pea gravel. An alternative is mats r synthetic surfacing made f safety-tested rubber r rubber-like materials. Check that prtective surfacing extends at least six (6) feet in all directins frm the play equipment. Fr swings, be sure surfacing extends in back and frnt twice the height f the suspending bar. Inspectin and Maintenance T help prvide and maintain a safe playgrund, review the fllwing checklist: Install and maintain all playgrund equipment accrding t manufacturer's recmmendatins. Create a maintenance schedule fr the entire playgrund, taking int cnsideratin the type f equipment, frequency f use, and lcal climate. Inspect all equipment fr the fllwing items n a regular basis: Check that there are n sharp pints, crners, and edges n any f the equipment's parts. All metal r wd crners shuld be runded. Wd parts shuld be smth and free f splinters. Prtective caps shuld nt be able t be lsened r remved withut the use f a tl. Replace any missing r damaged prtective caps.

4 Playgrund Safety 4 Fasteners and cnnectrs shuld nt be able t be lsened r remved withut the use f a tl. All nuts and blts shuld have lck washers, self-lcking nuts, r ther lcking means t prevent them frm easily becming lsened. All hardware shuld be made f crrsin-resistant material. T reduce the risk f entrapment, there shuld be n penings n playgrund equipment that measure between 3.5 and 9 inches. The nly exceptin wuld be where the playgrund equipment meets the grund. Pay special attentin t penings at the tp f a slide, between platfrms, and n limbers where the distance between rungs might be less than nine (9) inches. Anchr equipment securely t the grund. Entrapment Hazard Example This pht is an example f a piece f playgrund equipment that has an pening larger than 3.5 inches and wuld pse an entrapment hazard. Make sure that all anchring devices are belw grund t eliminate the ptential fr tripping hazards. Prtrusins r prjectins shuld nt be capable f entangling children's clthing. There shuld be n brken r missing cmpnents in the fllwing: Handrails Guardrails Prtective barriers Steps r rungs n ladders Paint, galvanize, r therwise treat any metal playgrund equipment t prevent rust. Ensure that the paint r similar finish des nt cntain a harmful amunt f lead. If lder playgrund equipment is being used, test the finish t determine the amunt f lead, especially if the finish is beginning t flake r peel.

5 Playgrund Safety 5 Make sure all S hks are squeezed clsed and in gd cnditin, with n visible signs f crrsin r deteriratin. Inspect the playgrund fr brken glass r ther dangerus debris. Cnveniently lcate and maintain apprpriate trash receptacles n the playgrund. Inspect the shck absrbing surface in and arund the playgrund equipment t determine that it has nt been displaced r cmpacted in high traffic areas. Crrect r remve any tripping hazards, such as expsed cncrete ftings, tree stumps, and rcks. Repair any areas that have inadequate drainage r lw spts that wuld allw standing water. Example Hazardus S Hk This pht is an example f an S hk that has nt been cmpletely squeezed clsed. The chain used in this illustratin culd easily slip ut f the S hk, allwing the swing and child t fall t the grund. Open S hks als can catch children s clthing and present a strangulatin hazard Supervisin Withut adequate supervisin, even playgrunds that are designed, installed, and maintained in accrdance with safety guidelines and standards can still impse hazards t children. Supervisrs can be paid emplyees, vlunteers, r even parents. Hwever, they shuld all have ne thing in cmmn: an understanding f the basics f playgrund safety. A trained playgrund supervisr can help reduce the number and severity f playgrund injuries. T adequately supervise a playgrund, all supervisrs shuld be trained n the fllwing: The types f playgrund equipment prvided. The hazards assciated with the different types f playgrund equipment prvided. Age-apprpriateness f playgrund equipment. First Aid. Strangulatin r entrapment hazards fr children n the playgrund, including scarves, jackets, r sweatshirts with hds r drawstrings, cnnected mittens r glves, jewelry, and bicycle helmets. The church s prcedures regarding hw t handle emergencies, such as hw t apprpriately handle a playgrund injury that wuld require medical attentin. It is imprtant t d whatever we can t keep ur children safe. By fllwing these tips and recmmendatins fr playgrund safety, yur church will be better prepared t prevent unsafe situatins r injuries that culd harm the yuth f yur cngregatin. ( ) 2010 GuideOne Center fr Risk Management, LLC. All rights reserved. This material is fr infrmatin nly and is nt intended t prvide legal r prfessinal advice. Yu are encuraged t cnsult with yur wn attrney r ther expert cnsultants fr a prfessinal pinin specific t yur situatin.