Is injury on a playground inevitable?

SALT LAKE CITY -- Spring is coming. Really, it is. The return of warmer weather will signal a return to playgrounds at schools, day care centers and parks. Just how safe are those playgrounds?

Minor bumps, bruises, scrapes and scratches are simply a part of childhood. And to some extent, they are expected as children play. Severe accidents are another matter. Eacy year, over 150,000 children under the age of 13 are treated in emergency departments for playground-related injuries, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control.

The American Society for Testing Materials website notes, “In response to reports, the public has begun to demand safer playground environments at schools, parks and child care facilities through the elimination of known hazards.”

What should parents look for in their children's playgrounds?

Playground safety is very much dependent on three components: supervision, design and maintenance. Just like a three-legged stool, remove any one and the stool or safety effort will fail.

Supervision

The National Program for Playground Safety "strongly urges parents and adults to take an active role in playground supervision," according to the organization's website. "Adults should always be present when children are playing at a local park, a school playground, child care center or on the equipment in your backyard.”

At the local park, parents should watch their children play. At a school or day care, an inquiry should be made of the supervision plan.

Consider some of the following questions:

• How many students are on the playground at one time?
• What is the age range of the students on the playground at the same time?
• What is the ratio of adult supervisors to students?
• Are playground personnel in communication with the office? DesignIn 1981 the Consumer Product Safety Commission released the first “Handbook for Public Playground Safety” with design guidelines and these topics were addressed:

• Separation between equipment.
• Shock-absorbing materials under all playground equipment.
• Manufacturing techniques that eliminates protruding bolts and pinch points. Equipment meeting this standard will have an International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association certification. If you have concerns, ask if the equipment in your child’s playground has this certification. Maintenance

If not well maintained, even the best equipment will become a hazard to the children using it. The National Recreation and Park Association through its National Playground Safety Institute provide training and certification for playground safety inspectors.

Playgrounds should have an inspection protocol that includes periodic review of the facility by someone with this certification, as well as regularly scheduled review at least weekly. Schools and day care facilities particularly should have records of inspections. If you have a question, you simply need to ask to se them.

Some of the things that parents can look for include:

• Broken glass or other dangerous material.
• Loose nuts or exposed bolts.
• Obviously broken equipment.
• Excessively worn seating areas.
• Lack of protective material in case of a fall.
• Exposed bare ground or concrete inside the enclosure. Any of these could indicate a lack of proper maintenance and will pose a hazard to children. A call to the owner of the equipment would be in order. A quick look over the playgrounds before your children play and quality supervision during that time will make your trip to the playground safe and enjoyable experience for child and parent alike.

Guy is a longtime educator, having taught and coached tennis and swimming. He is school safety and security administrator for the Bonneville School District in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Guy has been married for 26 years and has three children.

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