Kids love running, climbing and playing, but they sometimes fall off equipment. Injuries can be prevented by properly installed surfaces under and around playground equipment and proper maintenance. Look for safe, soft ground surfacing such as wood chips, mulch or shredded rubber. Avoid tripping hazards like gravel, asphalt or concrete.
Safety Rules
Taking reasonable active safety precautions and being supervised at all times are critical to children’s well-being while playing on 안전놀이터 equipment. Supervision helps to prevent injuries caused by falls, bullying or rough play and may also be able to stop dangerous actions such as jumping off of equipment. Make sure to tie shoes securely and remove scarves, jewelry or clothing with drawstrings that could get caught on equipment or become strangulation hazards. If several kids want to play with the same piece of equipment, organize a line so everyone gets a turn without crowding or pushing.
Check the protective surfacing under and around playground equipment to ensure it is thick enough to absorb the energy of a fall (it may need to be up to 12 inches). Also, make sure the material does not contain glass, metal, gravel, wood chips or other items that could cause serious injury. Ideally, a material meeting the ASTM F1292 standard is used.
Supervision
Playgrounds offer a wonderful opportunity for kids to build their physical, social and thinking skills. While most playground injuries are minor dramas involving cuts, bruises and scrapes, some kids are more severely injured due to unsafe equipment and ground surfaces or long term exposure to uncomfortable environmental conditions. Supervision is a critical component of safety. In general, the ratio of adults to children should mirror classroom ratios. However, some schools find it difficult to maintain these ratios when kids are outside.
When establishing your supervision guidelines, consider whether there are any blind spots on the playground where it may be hard to monitor all of the kids at once. If there are, consider establishing a surveillance zone in that area and have another trained adult supervise it. During supervision, try to keep distractions to a minimum. This includes things like conversations and cell phone use. Controlling these distractions will help you focus on the kids and their safety.
Tripping Hazards
A large percentage of playground injuries involve falls off equipment like monkey bars, climbing structures and swings. Kids can also fall on hard surfaces like concrete and blacktop, which have a high risk of injury. The surfacing material under equipment should be soft to cushion the impact of a fall, such as wood chips, sand, mulch or safety-tested rubber mats. Review the surfacing material under and around all equipment to ensure it is safe. It should be free of objects, debris, standing water and other trip hazards. Review entrapment hazards to eliminate openings that could trap children, such as gaps between ladder rungs more than 3.5 inches. Eliminate protrusion hazards, such as open S-hooks on equipment, bolt ends and gaps in slides.
Check to see that surfacing materials extend at least 6 feet from the equipment perimeter, in accordance with standards found in the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Public Playground Safety Handbook. Also inspect for areas where equipment is unsuitable for the age of the children who use it, such as merry-go-rounds and see-saws.
Equipment
Kids play; it’s a natural part of their human nature to jump, climb and run around. However, kids do fall when playing and injuries from falls can be serious. Safe equipment and surfacing are key to reducing playground hazards. Adult supervision is the number one rule of safety. Adults need to watch for equipment that could be hazardous, intercede in play when necessary and be available to assist in the event of an injury. Children should also be guided to use age-appropriate equipment. Equipment that is designed for ages 5 to 12 can be dangerous for children ages 2 to 5. Make sure there are separate play areas for these two groups.
Check for equipment that is in good working order and free of missing or damaged parts. Also, be sure that there is enough protective ground surfacing under and around all equipment. This surfacing is crucial to reducing the severity of injuries from falls.
Last Word
Kids’ visits to playgrounds offer fresh air, friends and fun, but unsafe equipment and surfacing can lead to serious injuries. Hot equipment and a lack of shade can also discourage children from being active, which can lead to long term health problems.
