| The squeals and shouts of our rambunctious, | | | | (sand, fine gravel, mulch, wood chips, etc.) material |
| healthy kids enjoying their outdoor fun in the yard | | | | requires a method of containment such as a |
| are reassuring and comforting for parents to hear | | | | retaining barrier or excavated pit. It also requires |
| - as long as those shouts don't become screams | | | | good drainage underneath the material, periodic |
| of pain or an accident. The backyard is supposed | | | | renewal or replacement, and continuous |
| to be a fun place for outdoor play and exercise, | | | | maintenance (e.g., leveling, grading, sifting, raking) |
| not a danger zone. Young children need the | | | | to maintain its depth and to remove foreign |
| physical benefits of exercise, motor skills | | | | matter.Replace Loose-Fill PeriodicallyWet weather, |
| development, and fresh air, not to mention a | | | | freezing temperatures, normal use over time, and |
| place to work off their boundless | | | | contamination will decompose, pulverize, and |
| energy.Unfortunately, each year families of about | | | | compact material. Be sure to renew or replace it |
| 200,000 children confront injuries associated with | | | | before it turns hard.The Nitty Gritty on Sand and |
| unsafe playground areas and equipment, according | | | | GravelAlthough cheap, sand is the least desirable |
| to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. An | | | | option. Sand can scatter easily outside of your |
| estimated 51,000 involve home playground | | | | containment area. It also hardens quickly when |
| equipment, the rest occur at public playgrounds. | | | | wet, is abrasive to floor surfaces when tracked |
| Most of the injuries are the result of falls. | | | | indoors, and attracts animals as a litter box. |
| Tragically, about 15 children die each year, most | | | | Gravel is more difficult to walk on and can |
| because of strangulation.You Can Keep Your Kids | | | | present a tripping hazard if scattered.Swing |
| SafeFortunately, these tragedies are preventable. | | | | Safety ZonesSwing sets should be securely |
| Combined with careful adult supervision, proper | | | | anchored. Swings also should have a buffer zone |
| playground construction and maintenance can | | | | with protective surfacing extending a minimum of |
| greatly minimize the risk of injury to young | | | | 6 feet from the outer edge of the support |
| children.Practice Playground Safety | | | | structure on each side. The use zone in front and |
| at Home, at School, and at the ParkThis | | | | back of the swing should be even larger, and |
| quick-course has been written to help alert you to | | | | extend out a minimum distance of twice the |
| the danger signs in play areas. You can take | | | | height of the swing as measured from the ground |
| control at home by taking precautions with your | | | | to the swing hangers on support structure.Rules |
| own play area. And you can take a new look at | | | | on Swing SpacingTo prevent injuries from impact |
| other playgrounds for the same hazards. These | | | | with moving swings, swings should not be too |
| include lack of proper surfacing to cushion falls, | | | | close together or too close to support structures. |
| lack of guardrails to prevent falls, head | | | | Swing spacing should be at least 8 inches |
| entrapment hazards, and other injury-causing | | | | between suspended swings and 8 inches from the |
| hazards.Cushion Falls With Protective | | | | support frame. The minimum clearance between |
| SurfacingSince almost 60% of all injuries are | | | | the ground and underside of swing seat should be |
| caused by falls to the ground, protective surfacing | | | | 8 inches.That's how to create the best buffer |
| under and around all playground equipment is | | | | zone between your child and potential injury. Now, |
| critical to reduce the risk of serious head injury. | | | | read on for more equipment safety |
| And because head impact injuries from a fall can | | | | guidelines.Consider a contractor if you are not |
| be life threatening, the more shock absorbing a | | | | handy. Poorly installed playgrounds can be an |
| surface can be made, the less likely any injury will | | | | added hazard.Playgrounds should be inspected on |
| be severe.Of course, all injuries due to falls cannot | | | | a regular basis. Inspect protective surfacing, |
| be prevented no matter what playground | | | | especially loose-fill, and maintain the proper depth. |
| surfacing material is used.What to AvoidDo NOT | | | | The following conditions should be removed, |
| Use Concrete or Asphalt. Falls on asphalt and | | | | corrected or repaired immediately to prevent |
| concrete can result in serious head injury and | | | | injuries:Exposed equipment footings.Scattered |
| death. Do not place playground equipment over | | | | debris, litter, rocks, or tree roots.Rust and chipped |
| these surfaces.Avoid Grass and Dirt. Grass and | | | | paint on metal components.Splinters, large cracks, |
| turf also lose their ability to absorb shock through | | | | and decayed wood components.Deterioration and |
| wear and environmental conditions. Avoid earth | | | | corrosion on structural components that connect |
| surfaces such as soils and hard packed dirt. | | | | to the ground.Missing or damaged equipment |
| Always use protective surfacing.What Should You | | | | components, such as handholds, guardrails, swing |
| Use?Loose-fill surfacing materials. These include | | | | seats. |
| double shredded bark mulch, shredded tires, wood | | | | 1. Install Guard Rails - Platforms more than 30" |
| chips, fine sand or fine gravel. The greater the | | | | above the ground should have guardrails to |
| depth, the greater the shock-absorption. Loose-fill | | | | prevent falls.2. Avoid Unsafe Openings - In |
| materials should not be installed over hard | | | | general, openings that are closed on all sides, |
| surfaces such as asphalt or | | | | should be less than 3 1/2" or greater than 9". |
| concrete.Manufactured synthetic surfaces. These | | | | Openings that are between 3' 1/2" and 9" present |
| include rubber or rubber over foam mats or tiles, | | | | a head entrapment and strangling hazard.3. |
| poured-in-place urethane and rubber compositions. | | | | Remove Pinch or Crush Points - There should be |
| The initial cost is higher but less maintenance is | | | | no exposed moving parts that may present a |
| required. Be sure to ask the manufacturer for | | | | pinching or crushing hazard.4. Never Wear Bicycle |
| test data on shock absorption. Some materials | | | | Helmets on the Playground - Bike helmets can get |
| require installation over a hard surface while | | | | stuck in openings on playground equipment, |
| others do not.How Much Should You Use?If using | | | | resulting in strangulation or hanging.5. Avoid |
| loose-fill material at home, maintain a constant | | | | Dressing Children in Loose or Stringed Clothing on |
| depth of at least 6 inches of material. 9 or 12 | | | | the Playground. Clothing strings, loose clothing, and |
| inches is recommended. The cushioning benefits of | | | | stringed items placed around the neck can catch |
| fine sand and gravel increase at 12 inches, | | | | on playground equipment and strangle |
| according to the CPSC.What's the Buffer | | | | children.Remember to supervise, and teach your |
| Zone?Create a buffer zone, covered with a | | | | child safe play. Teach your child not to walk or |
| protective surfacing material, under and around all | | | | play close to a moving swing, and never to tie |
| equipment where a child might fall. The protective | | | | ropes to playground equipment.It's not hard to |
| surfacing material should extend a minimum of 6 | | | | make your playground safe, when you work |
| feet in all directions from the perimeter of the | | | | from the ground up.Install protective surfacing on |
| equipment. To prevent further injury from a fall, | | | | the ground, use safe equipment, and maintain |
| this area must be free of other equipment and | | | | your play area.With this game plan, the call is |
| obstacles that might strike a child.Dig a PitLoose-Fill | | | | "safe at home! |