Summer Playground Safety
The Memorial Day holiday marks the traditional start of the summer season. Warmer weather and longer, sunny days naturally bring more outdoor play for our children. Children expect that playgrounds will be the site of hours of enjoyable play. Unfortunately, playgrounds can also present some special hazards. Consider the following playground injury facts provided by Texas Children's Hospital:
- As a result of accidents on playgrounds at home, at school and in public areas, more than 200,000 children ages 14 years and younger visit U.S. emergency departments each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Youngsters in the 5- to 9-year-old age bracket have the highest rate for playground injuries. School is the site for the majority of these injuries.
- On public playgrounds, climbers facilitate more injuries than any other attraction.
Take the following precautions
- Check out the condition of playground equipment and surrounding area.
Inspect playground equipment to be sure it is in good condition and ready for play. Pay equal attention to closely examining the grounds surrounding the playground equipment. Loose rocks, debris, exposed roots, and even puddles can create or exaggerate hazards on the playground and contribute to slips, trips, and falls. Statistics reveal that falls are contributing factors in about 70% of playground injuries. To provide safe surfaces and cushioned fall zones in playground areas, try sweeping sand up on sidewalks, eliminating standing water, removing rocks, and raking mulch or other loose fall zone materials.
- Dress children in safe outdoor clothing.
When children prepare for outdoor play, check their clothing for dangling cords, strings, loose buttons, or toggles that can catch on play equipment and cause an entrapment hazard. Also, be sure that children who wear helmets while using ride-on toys or bikes remove those helmets before playing on swings, slides, or climbers. Sturdy, non-slippery footwear is helpful in preventing slips, trips, and falls.
- Supervise, supervise.
The most important safety feature on any playground is alert adults who are committed to vigilant supervision. Most playground injuries can be prevented or minimized by careful supervision and prevention practices.
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