Minnesota Park and Sports Turf Managers Association. November 16, 2016

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1 Minnesota Park and Sports Turf Managers Association November 16, 2016

2 Playground Injury Trends and Safety Bob Clarin, CPSI

3 Playground Injury Trends Over 200,000 playground related injuries are treated in emergency departments in the US each year. 1

4 How are children injured? Entrapment Collision Hazards Equipment 23 Falling 44 % of total injuries

5 What types of injuries? Other 3 Concussions 2 Internal Organs 5 Strains/Sprains Lacerations Contusions 20 Fractures 36 % of total injuries

6 Equipment Associated With Injuries Climber 9 Swings 17 Slides 22 Overhead ladders 23 % total injuries

7 TBI Rates on the Rise Study: Nonfatal Playground-Related Traumatic Brain Injuries Among Children, Describes the circumstances, characteristics, and trends of emergency department (ED) visits for nonfatal, playground-related traumatic brain injury (TBI) among persons aged 14 years On average 21,000 children are treated in an emergency department annually for playground related TBI. The annual rate increased significantly in 2006.

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10 TBI Rates on the Rise The study authors found that most playground-related ED visits resulting in TBIs occurred in May (12.9%), followed by September (11.8%) and April (11.7%). Researchers also found that most ED visits (77.9%) related to playground injuries occurred during the weekdays.

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12 Surfacing/Attenuation Testing Falls are the most common cause of playground injuries, head injuries being the most severe type of injury. Impact attenuation testing is able to aide in assessing the safety of existing surfacing. The odds of being injured on an impact absorbing surface are less than half than on a non impact absorbing surface. Impact absorbing surfacing: Wood Fiber, rubber, sand Non impact absorbing surface: grass, asphalt, dirt, concrete

13 Surfacing/Attenuation Testing What is impact attenuation. Impact attenuation of playground surfacing material is the measure of its shock absorbing properties The shock absorbing properties are measured by dropping an instrumental head form onto the surface and recording the force of impact and the time of deceleration

14 Surfacing/Attenuation Testing The specifications are found in ASTM F1292, Standard Specification for Impact Attenuation of Surface Systems Under and Around Playground Equipment. The purpose of this specification is to reduce the likelihood of life threatening head injuries, which are the most common cause of death on a playground. Testing using the methods described in ASTM F1292 will provide a critical height rating of a surface. This height can be considered as an approximation of the fall height below which a life threatening head injury would not be expected to occur. Testing method quantify impact in terms of g-max and Head Injury Criterion (HIC)

15 Surfacing/Attenuation Testing G-max is the measure of the maximum acceleration (shock) produced by an impact. G-max should be below 200 HIC score is an empirical measure of impact severity based on published research describing the relationship between the magnitude and duration of impact accelerations and the risk of head trauma. HIC needs to be less than 1000 The relationship between impact magnitude and head injury risk is based on research done for automotive and aircraft safety

16 Surfacing/Attenuation Testing Impact Attenuation Testing: In the lab Testing for impact attenuation is typically done in a laboratory situation where manufactures submit samples of surfacing materials in various depths for testing. Consumers can then use this information to make a decision about the depth of surfacing material needed compared to the fall height of the event. Fall height is defined as the distance between a designated play surface and the playground surfacing beneath it.

17 Surfacing/Attenuation Testing Impact Attenuation Testing: On the playground Impact attenuation can be done on a playground. Some companies, including SafetyFirst, have instruments to perform this testing on site. All companies supplying playground safety surfacing should be able to supply certificate of ASTM F1292 Head Impact testing

18 Surfacing/Attenuation Testing Impact Attenuation Testing: On the playground

19 Equipment Associated With Injuries Climber 9 Swings 17 Slides 22 Overhead ladders 23 % of total injuries

20 Surfacing

21 Safety Surfacing Unitary surfacing materials Mats/Tiles/Poured in place Considerations of changes in attenuation over time/temperature Repair and replacement cost Good option for ECE playgrounds with children who crawl

22 Unitary Surfaces

23 Unitary Surfaces- Repairs

24 Loose Fill Surfacing Engineered Wood Fiber Minimum fill depth based on critical height Compaction- EWF compresses 25% over time, so for a minimum fill depth of 9 you should install 12 to compensate for this ADA accessibility Species specific surfacing recipes

25 Loose Fill Surfacing

26 Loose Fill Surfacing Rubber Mulch Toxicity questions with rubber mulch ADA accessibility Evaluation of Health Effects of Recycled Waste Tires in Playground and Track Products Rubber mulch contains chemicals that are known carcinogens Single exposure poses little risk, the effects of long term exposure are unknown

27 Loose Fill Surfacing

28 Common Failures Crush and Shearing Points Can be caused by moving parts relative to each other or to a fixed part during a normal use cycle, ex: a seesaw Consider the likelihood a child could get a body part inside and the closing force around the point

29 Common Failures

30 Common Failures Entanglement and Impalement Projections on playground equipment should not be able to entangle clothing nor large enough to impale Hardware The diameter of a projection should not increase in the direction away from the surrounding surface toward the exposed end Bolts should not expose more than two threads beyond the end of the nut Use clevises instead of S hooks Ropes should be secured on both ends

31 Common Failures Secured at both ends

32 Common Failures Entrapments Head Entrapment Certain openings could present an entrapment hazard if the distance between any interior opposing surfaces is greater than 3.5 inches and less than 9 inches. Partially bound openings and angles Angles formed by two accessible adjacent parts should be greater than 55 degrees unless the lowest leg is horizontal or below horizontal

33 Common Failures < 3.5 = OK! 7.5 = non compliant!

34 Common Failures

35 Common Failures Suspended Hazards Children using a playground may be injured if they run into or trip over suspended components (such as cables, wires, ropes, or other flexible parts) connected from one piece of the playground equipment to another or hanging to the ground Suspended components can become hazards when they are

36 Common Failures Tripping Hazards Play areas should be free of tripping hazards, including sudden changes in elevations. Commonly: Anchoring devices for playground equipment Containment walls for loose fill surfacing Used Tires Steel-belted radials should be closely examined regularly to ensure that there are no exposed steel belts/wires. Care should be taken so that the tire does not collect water and debris; for example, providing drainage holes on the underside of the tire would reduce water collection Toxicity questions

37 Common Failures

38 Common Failures Hardware/Chains/Plastic Wear and Tear

39 Prioritization Surfacing!! (-Bob s wife)

40 Prioritization

41 When to Repair When to Replace

42 When to Repair When to Replace