The squeals and shouts of our rambunctious, healthy children enjoying their fun are comforting for parents to hear and reassuring – as long as those shouts don’t become screams of an collision or pain. The garden is supposed to be an enjoyable place for exercise and outdoor play, not a risk zone. Young children need the physical benefits of exercise, motor skills development, and fresh air, not to mention a place to work off their energy.
Unfortunately, each year families of approximately 200,000 children confront injuries associated with dangerous playground areas and equipment, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. An involve home playground equipment, the rest occur at public playgrounds. The majority of the injuries are caused by falls. Tragically, about 15 children die every year, largely due to strangulation.
You Can Keep Your Kids Safe
Luckily, these tragedies are preventable. Combined with adult supervision, maintenance and correct playground construction can greatly minimize the risk of harm to children.
Practice Playground Safety at Home, at School, and the Park
This quick-course was composed to help alert you to the danger signs in play areas. By taking precautions with your play area you can take charge. And you’re able to have a look at playgrounds for the dangers. These include lack falls, lack of guardrails to prevent head entrapment hazards falls, along with other risks.
Cushion Falls With Protective Surfacing
Since nearly 60 percent of all injuries are caused by falls to the ground, protective surfacing under and around all playground equipment is important to reducing the risk of severe head injury. And since head impact injuries from a fall may be life-threatening, the further the less likely any harm will be intense.
Of course, all injuries due to falls can’t be prevented no matter what playground surfacing material is utilized.
What to Avoid
Do NOT Use Concrete or Asphalt. Falls on concrete and asphalt can result in severe head injury and death. Do not put playground equipment above these surfaces.
Prevent Grass and Dirt. Turf and grass also lose their ability to absorb shock through wear and environmental conditions. Steer clear of earth surfaces such as dirt and soils. Always use protective surfacing.
What Do You Need to Use?
Loose-fill surfacing materials. These include shredded tires, shredded bark mulch, wood chips, fine sand, or gravel that is fine. The greater the depth. Loose-fill substances shouldn’t be installed on hard surfaces like asphalt or concrete.
Artificial synthetic surfaces. These include rubber or rubber over rubber compositions, and tiles or foam mats urethane. The first cost is greater but less maintenance is required. Be sure to ask the producer for test data on shock absorption. Some substances require installation while others don’t.
Just how Much Should You Use?
If using loose-fill substance at home, keep a constant depth of at least 6 inches of material. 12 or 9 inches is advised. The cushioning benefits of fine sand and dirt increase according to the CPSC. Get oil sand separator here.
What is the Buffer Zone?
Create a buffer zone, covered with a protective surfacing material, under and around all equipment where a child might fall. The surfacing material should extend a minimum of 6 feet in all directions from the perimeter of this equipment. To prevent additional injury from a fall, this area has to be free of additional equipment and barriers which may hit a kid.
Dig a Pit
Loose-Fill (sand, fine sand, mulch, wood chips, etc.) substance takes a process of containment such as a retaining barrier or excavated pit. Additionally, it requires good drainage beneath the material, periodic renewal or replacement, and continuous upkeep (e.g., leveling, grading, sifting, raking) to maintain its depth and to eliminate foreign matter.
Change Loose-Fill Periodically
Wet weather, freezing temperatures, regular use over time, and pollution will decompose, pulverize, and compact material. Make sure you renew or restore it before it turns hard.
The Nitty Gritty on Sand and Gravel
Even though cheap, sand is the least desired choice. Sand can scatter easily out your containment area. It hardens rapidly when wet, is abrasive to ground surfaces when tracked indoors, and brings animals as a litter box. If scattered, gravel is difficult to walk and can present a hazard.
Swing Safety Zones
Swing sets must be securely anchored. Swings ought to have a buffer zone extending a minimum of 6 feet from the edge of the support structure on each side. The use zone in front and rear of the swing should be larger and extend out a minimum distance of twice the height of the swing as measured to the swing hangers.
Rules on Swing Spacing
To prevent injuries from impact with moving swings, swings should not be too close together or too close to support structures. Swing spacing should be at least eight inches between suspended bearings and 8 inches in the support frame. The minimum clearance between the ground and underside of the swing chair should be 8 inches.
That is how to make the best buffer zone between your child and possible injury. Now, read on for equipment security instructions.
Contemplate a contractor if you are not handy. Poorly installed playgrounds could be an additional hazard.
Playgrounds should be inspected routinely. Inspect particularly loose-fill, protective surfacing, and maintain the proper depth. The following conditions should be eliminated, corrected, or repaired promptly to prevent accidents:
Exposed equipment footings.
Scattered debris, litter, rocks, or tree roots.
Rust and chipped paint on metal components.
Splinters, large cracks, and decayed wood components.
Deterioration and corrosion on structural elements that connect into the ground.
Missing or broken equipment components, such as handholds, guardrails, swing chairs.
1. Install Guard Rails – Platforms over 30″ above the ground should have guardrails to prevent falls.
2. Avoid Unsafe Openings – Generally speaking, openings which are closed on either side, should be less than 3 1/2″ or more than 9″. Openings that are between 3′ 1/2″ and 9″ present ahead entrapment and strangling hazard.
3. Eliminate Pinch or Crush Points – There should be no exposed moving.
4. Never Wear Bicycle Helmets on the Playground – Bike helmets may get trapped in openings on playground equipment, resulting in strangulation or hanging.
5. Avoid Dressing Children around the Playground at Stringed or Loose Clothing. Loose clothes clothing strings, and stringed items placed around the throat can catch on playground equipment and strangle children.
Remember to oversee, and teach your child safe play. Teach your child not to walk or play close and to not tie ropes to park equipment.
It’s not hard to make your playground safe once you work from the ground up.
Install protective surfacing on the ground, use safety equipment, and keep your play place.