Each year in the United States, about 17 children die as a result of playground equipment-related incidents. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 200,000 children are treated annually in hospital emergency rooms for playground equipment-related injuries—an estimated 148,000 of these injuries involve public playground equipment while about 52,000 involve home playground equipment.
Most of these serious or fatal injuries resulting from playground equipment are the result of falls to the ground from one piece of equipment as well as falls resulting when a child moves from one piece to another. In addition to injuries from falls, fatalities occur from strangulation when children become entrapped in openings between pieces of equipment.
“We treat many children with forearm fractures which have occurred as a result of a fall from monkey bars at a playground or in a backyard,” says John Brennan, M.D., FAAP, FACEP, Director of Saint Barnabas Medical Center Pediatric Emergency Services, Livingston. “Parents should inspect equipment closely and show their children the proper way to climb, ride, slide or swing on each piece. Children also require close supervision when they are using playground equipment.”
The Emergency Department at Saint Barnabas and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission offer consumers the following playground safety tips:
- Since 70 percent of all injuries are caused by falls to the ground, protective surfacing under and around all playground equipment is the most critical safety factor on playgrounds. Asphalt and concrete are not suitable surfaces because they lack shock-absorbing properties. Grass and turf also should not be used because they wear away after repeated use.
- The area beneath backyard equipment should be supplemented with double shredded bark mulch, wood chips, fine sand or rubber mats. Protective surfacing should extend at least six feet in all directions from the equipment. To cushion falls, surfaces should be maintained o a depth proportionate to the height of the equipment, but a 12-inches depth is a good guideline for equipment up to 8 feet in height.
- To prevent injuries from impact with moving swings, the swings should not be too close together nor too close to support structures. No more than two swing seats should be suspended in the same section and the distance between adjacent swing seats should be no less than 24 inches. The distance between the swing seat and the adjacent structural component should be no less than 30 inches.
- Parents should make sure that spaces, which could trap children, such as openings in guardrails or between ladder rungs, measure less than 3.5 inches or more than 9 inches. Also, open “S” hooks, especially on swings, and any protrusions or equipment components that may act as hooks can catch children’s clothing and cause strangulation. Parents should close “S” hooks as tightly as possible and eliminate protruding pieces of equipment.
- There should be no exposed moving parts that may pinch or crush small fingers and playground equipment should be inspected on a regular basis for pieces which have become loose or worn. Metal equipment should be checked for rust, while wood structures should be inspected for splinters and sealed periodically. Climbing ropes should be secured at both ends. Observe any nails protruding from jungle gyms which could cause injury. Punctures from nails or other sharp materials should be given serious attention.
- If a swing set has a slide, be sure it is positioned in a shady spot so the metal slide will not become burning hot. Consider plastic playground equipment instead of metal to prevent burns. Also, plastic equipment may come with rounded edges instead of sharp metal pieces.
- Parents should also examine swing sets to be sure they are securely anchored. This is especially important if the equipment has been installed on a slope. If several children climb on an unstable piece of equipment at the same time, the equipment could roll down the slope.
By concentrating on maintaining playground equipment and providing adequate supervision, parents can help decrease the number of playground injuries resulting in emergency room visits and unnecessary deaths. Attention to safety concerns and precautions can eliminate safety hazards associated with playground equipment and make the playground a fun, risk-free environment.
For a referral to a Saint Barnabas Medical Center physician, please call 1-888-SBMC-DOC.
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