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