According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, an estimated 200,000 children receive emergency care for injuries that occurred on playground equipment each year. Of course, playground accidents can be avoided. We have some guidelines to help keep your kids safe when they’re doing what they do best - playing.
Visalia mom Carlie McCorvey visits a neighborhood park with her two daughters a few times a week. When choosing a playground, she says safety is a big consideration. “I like how certain playgrounds have fence around the playground so they can’t run to the road.”
According to the Trauma Unit at Children’s Hospital Central California, there were 415 fall related admissions in 2007. Playground equipment- related falls were the 2nd highest at 30 falls; which calculates to 17% of all falls admitted into the Trauma Unit.
Isidro Bruno is the Playground Inspector for the Central Valley Children Services Network (CSN). His job is to make sure day care facilities are safe for children. Isidro says CSN in Fresno County is the only childcare referral and resource in California that offers technical assistance by way of a certified playground inspector. Isidro says no playground is 100% safe. “No matter how new it is, it has the potential of being dangerous.” He shared pictures of a home provider’s playground equipment that he found to be unsafe.
“You can tell there are some brown spots or white spots on the fence and that’s where the swing it actually hit or the child has actually hit the back of the fence.”
In the next photo, the slide was too close to the concrete.
“You don’t want a child sliding onto concrete, especially a child from 0 to 2 or 2 to 5 who can’t catch their legs from underneath themselves and fall right on their bottom or fall forward and have a face injury,” explained Isidro.
Falls from eight feet onto dirt is the same as a child hitting a brick wall traveling 30 miles per hour. So how does a parent choose or even design a playground with minimal risk for kids? When they go on to a playground, whether it’s public or a private playground, parents can think of the S.A.F.E. model which stands for: supervision, age appropriate equipment, fall surfacing and equipment maintenance.
S.A.F.E. Model
Supervision
As always, the key to safe play is adult supervision. Before children are allowed to use playground equipment, look for safety hazards: broken glass, litter, pieces of metal and other sharp objects.
Age-appropriate equipment
Children develop different skills at different ages. Isidro explains that equipment designed for children 5 to12 years of age is too big for children ages 2 to 5. “The child may not be equipped or ready for the equipment that’s there. It may not be age appropriate for them.”
Fall surfacing
Fall surfacing provides a good cushion. It’s important that it is installed under and around all equipment. “The type of surfacing that can be used are: pea gravel, sand, wood chips, shredded wood and shredded rubber chips. There’s also a pour-in style which is pouring in rubber.”
Equipment maintenance
Make sure that equipment is well maintained. Isidro notes, “If it’s a swing, you’re looking at the chains for rust; you’re looking at the bolts and making sure they’re not loose; that they’re firmly tightened. Also, that there’s not any bolts protruding.” That helps the child from incurring any scrapes or their clothes to be entangled in the equipment.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has created guidelines for both public playground and home playground equipment.
More info for Parents
Central Valley Children's Services Network
1911 N. Helm Avenue
Fresno, CA 93727
Phone: 456-1100
E-mail: info@cvcsn.org
