Transcript Playground Maintenance - Augusta County Public Schools

Augusta County Schools
Playground Safety Training:
Playground Safety Facts
• In the United States, an average of 250,000
playground related injuries and 17 playground
related deaths are reported each year.
• 44% of playground injuries result from
inadequate supervision that contribute to
playground injuries
• Most playground injuries occur within the first
five minutes of the children's arrival.
• 79% Of injuries are the result of falls.
Three safety components
• Safe equipment
• Playground
maintenance
• Good
supervisory
practices
Safe Equipment
Guidelines for planning and purchasing
playground equipment are found in the
handbook.
Playground Maintenance
Fall / Use Zone
• Fall or use zone
means the area
underneath a piece of
equipment and
surrounding the
equipment far enough
to include a child’s
trajectory in the event
of a fall.
Critical Height
• Based on tests, 9 inches
of compressed
Engineered Wood Fiber
will protect a child on
equipment up to 10 feet
in height.
• Twelve inches will
protect a child on
equipment up to 11 feet
in height.
Resilient Surfacing
Where playground
equipment is provided,
resilient surfacing shall
comply with minimum
safety standards…A
fall zone shall
encompass sufficient
area to include the child’s
trajectory in the event of a
fall while the equipment is
in use.
Resilient Surfacing
• Should be at a
minimum of 9-12
inches of Wood chips
(engineered wood
fiber). Refer to
playground
handbook.
Use/Fall Zone ~ Slides
• Six feet on all sides
• Four feet plus the
height of the slide in
front of the slide chute
– a six foot high sliding
board requires a 10
foot use zone
Use/Fall Zone ~ Swings
• The basic use zone is
6 feet, however, for
swings, the use zone
is twice the height of
the swing beam in the
front and back
– 6 foot beam = 12 or 24
foot use zone
– 8 foot beam = 16 or 32
foot use zone
Entrapment
• Head entrapment occurs
when the body fits
through a space but the
child’s head cannot pass
through the same space.
• Young children’s heads
are larger than their
bodies.
Entrapment
• Play equipment used
by children shall meet
the following
requirements:
• 1. Openings above
the ground or floor
which allow a 3.5 inch
by 6.25 rectangle to
fit through shall also
allow a nine-inch
circle to fit through;
Measuring Entrapment Spaces
• The torso of a small
child can pass
through a 3.5 X 6.25
inch opening
Measuring Entrapment Spaces
• The head of a child
can pass through a 9
inch circular opening.
“S” Hooks
• S-hooks, where
provided, may not
be open more than
the thickness of a
dime;
SUPERVISION
When staff are supervising
children, they shall always
ensure their care, protection
and guidance. –See
Playground Handbook
Safe equipment is not enough
because
equipment
does not
supervise
children
Active Supervision Means:
• Clear lines of sight
• Scan the area every
20 seconds
• Move around and
actively monitor
behavior
Playground Supervision
To Ensure Supervision:
• Have a plan
• Active, not passive
supervision
• Establish rules of safe
play or safe conduct
• Anticipate: behavior
before it occurs
A PLAN MEANS:
• Your School has a written playground
safety plan-see Handbook
• The staff should know and follow the plan
Simple Playground Rules
Stay in your own space Make room for others
Look before you leap
Chips stays on the
ground
Walk between the
swings and slide
Use the slide ladder
Respect each other
Take turns
ANTICIPATE MEANS:
• Stop unsafe behavior
immediately:
– Bullying
– Improper use of
equipment
– The “mad” dash
– Unsafe clothing such
as drawstrings on
hoods
Anticipate:
Children running
ahead of the main
Late arriving children
group
Transitions:
Going out to or coming Restroom location
in from the playground
Visually sweep a new
area upon arrival
Moving from area to
area