Transcript Public Playground Safety Basics

Public Playground Safety Basics
For Child Health Liaisons
“Public” Playground Means:
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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?
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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
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40 million children
between the ages of 212 are injured every
year.
205,850 estimated
playground equipment
related injuries.
76% public.
24% residential.
Hazard Patterns – Falls 79%
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68% falls to surface
10% falls to other parts
of the equipment
1% unknown
4 out of 5 accidents are
due to falls
Hazard Patterns
Impact 11% - Misc. 10%
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Impact with stationary
equipment 8%.
Impact with moving
equipment 3%.
Miscellaneous injuries:
Generally contact with
pinch points and sharp
edges.
Priority 1 Hazard
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Any hazard that could cause an injury which
could result in:
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Death
Brain damage
Permanent paralysis
Loss of vision
Loss of speech
Loss of limb
Organ destruction
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Major Cause of Death & Seriously
Debilitating Injury
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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
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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
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< 2 yrs = 3%
2-4 yrs = 27%
5-9 yrs= 56%
10-12 yrs = 12%
13-14 yrs = 2 %
Causes of Playground Injuries
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45
40
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35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
layout
install.
equip.
mainten.
use&sup.
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43% equipment use and
lack of supervision
37% poor maintenance
10% improper
equipment
7% poor installation
3% poor layout
Hazard Identification
Purpose: to Reduce
the Number and
Severity of Life
Threatening and
Seriously Debilitating
Injuries
Head Entrapment
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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
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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
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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
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Height
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2-5 yrs< 12 inches
5-12 yrs<16 inches
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No trip hazards
Guardrails & Barriers
2-5 year old
Guardrails
5-12 year old
Guardrails
Greater than 20 inches
Min. Height of 29 inches
Max. Opening at lower boundary
23 inches
Greater than 30 inches
Min. height of 38 inches
Max. opening at lower boundary
28 inches
Protective barriers
Protective Barriers
Greater than 30 inches
Min. Height 29 inches
No opening allows passage of
torso probe
Greater than 48 inches
Min. height 38 inches
No opening allows passage of
torso probe
Metal Slides
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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
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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
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Use zone for swings is
twice the height of the
swing frame. It must
extend both in front and
in back.
Other Hazards
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Tires on playgrounds
must have adequate
drainage holes so water
does not pool.
Pools and Sand Boxes
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Ground level play Standing or seating
equipment does not need
surfacing
Playground Safety
Be Pro-active Not
Re-active!