Playgrounds offer children a chance to get some exercise, socialize with friends and extend their physical abilities. But they can also pose some risks. Learn how to recognize the most common playground hazards. Then, take steps to ensure your kids are playing on safe equipment
Impact-Absorbing Surfaces
Kids love to run, jump, and climb while they play, which means they’re bound to fall. The right surface can make that minor fall less of a risk for serious injury. Look for surfacing materials that are shock-absorbing, such as engineered wood fiber, poured-in-place rubber, or rubber mats. Loose-fill surfacing options like wood chips, sand or shredded rubber are also safe and can help absorb impact.
Unitary surfaces, such as molded rubber, artificial turf or engineered wood fiber, have higher upfront costs than loose-fill materials. However, they tend to be more durable and easier to maintain. Check the Gmax and HIC test results for your playground surfacing material at the critical fall height for your equipment. Deeper tanbark depths may not meet these critical guidelines, and shallow tanbark may not attenuate falls.
Stability Of Equipment
Almost half of all playground injuries are the result of falls from equipment. A high-quality playground surface is necessary to reduce the impact on children’s bodies when they fall. The NRPA recommends that facilities conduct regular maintenance inspections of playground equipment and surfacing materials to identify potential hazards and repair them immediately. Observations should be documented and reported to the person in charge of the facility for correction. . This article will walk you through 안전놀이터 elements like: impact-absorbing surfaces, age-appropriate areas and more.
Kids love to climb, but it’s important that the structures are sturdy and well-maintained. Check for gaps, protruding bolt ends, “S” hooks and other sharp points that can cause strangulation. Also, make sure there are no head entrapment spaces between rails, bars and rungs on climbing structures. Check that areas under and around equipment have at least 12 inches of protective, resilient surfacing material such as wood chips, mulch, sand or mats made of safety-tested rubber or rubber-like materials.
Adult Supervision
Injuries on playground equipment are almost always preventable with active adult supervision. Supervision includes watching, listening, interacting and monitoring kids while they play. Supervision also involves teaching kids to use playground equipment safely, such as waiting their turn before climbing up a slide so that the next kid can go down first without hitting their head.
To help supervise the playground properly, schools should consider the layout and positioning of equipment to ensure that all areas are visible. If there are any obstructions like trees or other parts of the playground that make it difficult to see all of the equipment at once, schools should set up supervisor zones to avoid obstructing visibility. In addition, some schools may choose to designate a supervisor to use walkie-talkies or a cell phone for quick communication if an injury occurs.
Safe Clothing
Children are susceptible to a variety of injuries while on playground equipment. This is why it’s important to teach kids basic safety tips. These include using the right equipment for their age, no pushing or shoving and taking turns on equipment. Clothing should be free of drawstrings, ties and necklaces that can catch on equipment or pose a strangulation risk. Bicycle helmets should also be taken off while playing on playground equipment as they can get caught in narrow openings.
Children should also be urged to slide feet-first, avoid climbing outside the guardrails and keep head down when jumping off equipment. Additionally, a large percentage of playground injuries are caused by thermal burns. It’s recommended to access hyperlocal weather forecasts and monitor the temperature frequently when visiting playgrounds to ensure that kids don’t suffer any severe burns.
Cleanliness
Keeping a playground clean is essential for the safety of children. It prevents the spread of germs and illnesses, reduces injuries from hazards like litter and broken equipment, and creates a positive environment for kids to enjoy. Dirty surfaces, such as clogged wet pour and cracked cement, can lead to serious injuries. Softer surfaces like wood mulch or chips, shredded tires, and sand can harbor dirt and bacteria that make kids sick.
It is important to have a system in place that allows parents, teachers and babysitters to report any problems they see on the playground to someone in charge of the facility. A cleaning checklist that employees follow on a regular basis is also helpful to ensure consistent results. Cleaning and sanitizing should be done often, even if the surface appears to be clean.
Last Word
Kids love to play, but faulty equipment, dangerous surfaces, and unsafe behavior can put them at risk. Fortunately, injuries can be prevented with easy steps. Children need to know that they should use slides one at a time and not jump from high platforms. Clearly posted age ranges help too.
