Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death for children in America.¹ Playground equipment-related injuries account for many of these injuries each year.

What is the Problem?

• Over 200,000 children 14 years of age and under are treated in emergency departments for playground-related injuries² .
  
  
• Each year, about 15 children ages 14 and under die from playground-related injuries².
  
  
• The costs associated with playground-related injuries among children under 15 years of age were estimated at $1.3 billion in 1995².
  

What are the Solutions?

Public playgrounds account for about 70 percent of injuries related to playground equipment. It is important to know about the playgrounds where your children play³ .

FALLS

Falls to the ground off playground equipment, such as swings, monkey bars, climbers and slides, are the leading cause of playground-related injury³.

Surfacing

• Loose-fill surfacing materials are the most desirable surface to place under playground equipment.
• The loose-fill surfacing material should extend 6 feet around each piece of playground equipment.
• For swings, the protective surfacing should extend in back and front twice the height of the suspending bar.

See chart for type and depth:

Fall Height in Feet from Which a Life Threatening Head Injury Would Not be Expected
Type of Material	6'' Depth	9" Depth	12" Depth
Double Shredded Bark Mulch	6	10	11
Wood Chips	7	10	11
Fine Sand	5	5	9
Fine Gravel	6	7	10

• Platforms over 30 inches above the ground should have guardrails to prevent falls.
• Equipment that is over 30 inches high should be separated from other equipment by at least 9 feet.
• Tripping hazards, such as exposed concrete footings, tree roots, or rocks, should be moved out of the play area.

Strangulation

Each year, 47 percent of playground-related deaths are due to strangulation ⁴. This is the leading cause of death due to playground equipment.

• Spaces that could trap children, such as openings in guardrails and between ladder rungs, should measure less than 3.5 inches or more than 9 inches.
• Open “S” hooks, especially on swings, should be closed as tightly as possible to eliminate catch points.
• Ropes and items with cords placed around the neck may get caught on playground equipment and strangle a child. Many children have died when the drawstring on the jacket they were wearing got caught on playground equipment.

Maintenance

Playgrounds need to be inspected regularly to ensure that the equipment is being properly maintained.

• At least 8 inches should be left between each suspended swing, a swing and the support frame, and the underside of a swing seat and the ground.
• Ensure surfacing has maintained the proper depth and is in good order.
• Exposed equipment footings should be re-secured.
• Rusted or chipped paint on metal equipment needs to be repaired.
• Loose or worn hardware that sticks out should be tightened or replaced.

Supervision

Children should always be supervised on playgrounds to make ensure that they are safe.

For More Information, Please Contact the Following Organizations:

American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AALR)
1900 Association Drive
Reston, VA 22091
800-321-0789 (ask for AALR)

• Provides publications on school, childcare centers, and park playground safety and injury prevention, including information about playgrounds for children with disabilities.

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
100 Bar Harbor Drive
West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959

• Details technical information about playground sites and surface testing standards, including Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Playground Equipment for Playground Use.
• Provides safety recommendations relating to equipment labeling and the accessibility of play areas and play equipment for children with disabilities.

Consumer Federation of America (CFA)
1424 16th Street, N.W., Suite 604
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 387-6121

• Prepares the Report and Model Law on Public Play Equipment and Areas, which discusses voluntary playground safety recommendations.
• Discusses injury data, provides maximum height recommendations, and provides detailed recommendations on selecting safe, developmentally appropriate types of play equipment and areas for preschool-age and school-age children.

National Program for Playground Safety
School of HPELS
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, Iowa, 50614-0618
800-554-PLAY

• Provides information about top playground injury prevention issues and priorities, statistics, and general information about playground safety and injury prevention.

National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA)
22377 Belmont Ridge Road
Ashburn, Virginia 20148-4501
(703) 858-0784

• Provides information and publications about playground safety, and sponsors a national certification program for playground inspectors.

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
Publications Department
Washington, DC 20707
Public Affairs: (301) 504-0580
HOT LINE: 800-638-2772

• Publishes the CPSC Handbook for Public Playground Safety, 1997, (Publication # 325) containing voluntary safety recommendations for playground equipment and surfacing and recommendations for layout, installation, and maintenance of playground equipment. It is intended for use by parks and recreation personnel, school officials, equipment purchasers and installers, as well as parents, caregivers, and others concerned about playground safety.

Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI)
17904 Georgia Avenue, Suite 215
Olney, Maryland 20832
800-423-3563

• Provides specific material includes a parent's guide to playground safety, information on causes and prevention on playground injuries and a video on playground safety. A catalogue is available on request.

The National SAFE KIDS Campaign
1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 1000
Washington, D. C. 20004-1709
(202) 662-0600

• Works to prevent the number one killer of children--unintentional injuries through grassroots coalitions to educate adults and children, provide safety devices to families in need, pass and strengthen laws to empower families and communities to protect children ages 14 and under.

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References:

1.National Safe Kids Campaign
2.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Injury Fact Book. 2001- 2002.
3.Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). National Electronic Injury surveillance System 1990- 94. Washington (DC):CPSC.
4.Office of Technology Assessment. Risks to students in school. Washington (DC):U.S. Government Printing Office, 1995.