Recently, Texas Governor, Rick Perry, (along with 25 other governors) proclaimed April 21 through April 25 National Playground Safety Week. The National Program for Playground Safety is spearheading efforts nationwide to increase awareness regarding playground safety. April is also National Safety Month, named by the National Safety Council. Both campaigns are intended to generate community awareness as to what must be done to reduce risk to America’s children.
Each year in America more than 211 thousand children are treated in emergency rooms for playground related injuries - 17 of which are fatal. The majority of these injuries are due to a lack of supervision when children are playing on climbing equipment, swings, and slides. Without increased awareness and education regarding playground safety, 2003 statistics are estimated to be the same. To demonstrate why playground supervision is so important, meet two children who with proper supervision would have escaped harm.
Now six years of age, Serena has endured 13 surgeries - more than most people will experience in a lifetime. The doctors have done everything - bone and skin grafts, and plastic surgery to rebuild her arm and hide the scars. The result? Serena still doesn’t have full use of her arm, and never will. It’s shorter, and permanently locked in a bent position.
When she was three, Serena and another child were at the top of the Jungle Gym arguing over who would go first down the slide. As they quarreled, other children began to form a crowd atop the three-foot-high platform. In the scuffle, Serena fell backwards. Her right elbow shattered when she hit the ground.
As a normal two-year-old, Joey loved climbing. That was his job description - to explore his world by scaling anything that served as a step stool to reach new heights. The slide, ladder and rails of the indoor climbing structure, all provided Joey with a means to soar.
After his fall, Joey who once had a gentle and calm nature is now physically aggressive and easily angered. These symptoms are typical of anyone who has a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Now three, medical experts are uncertain of Joey’s long-term prognosis.
The tragic truth is that Serena and Joey’s injuries were preventable. Instead of sitting and visiting with her co-worker, Serena’s teacher could have located herself near the slide, and directed her full attention to the children. From this position, she could have instructed the children to wait their turn. Joey’s caregiver could have done the same, placing herself in close proximity – where she could intervene when he needed her.
There are many risk areas to address in order to keep our children safe while at play. Consider the following to help protect your child on any playground.
S - Supervision. Adult’s attention, awareness, and proximity to the children is crucial in risk reduction. Where are the adults? Are they sitting down? Are they visiting each other? Or, consistently interacting with the children? How far are they away from the children? Are they standing by the building? Or, moving from child to child and group to group as children play? Can the adults reach the children quickly? To keep your children safe, all of these questions must be addressed.
A – Age-appropriate. All equipment is not designed for all children. To properly use each piece of equipment, it’s a good idea to understand what skills your child must have. This will help you determine if the equipment is age-appropriate.
F – Fall zones. The fall zone is the ground or floor around and under the climbing structure where a child may fall. A well-designed fall zone extends out at least 5 to 7 feet beyond the points where a child might fall. The Consumer Safety Product Commission (CPSC) recommends 12 inches of soft material in fall zones. Indoor climbing equipment is unsafe without an approved soft surface covering all fall zone areas. Understand that carpet is stretched over a concrete foundation. Make sure there are soft surfaces in all fall zones.
E – Equipment. All equipment must be kept free of hazards. Look for loose screws, splintering wood, pinching or shearing points or broken parts. Broken equipment should not be moved from a classroom or house to the playground. If it was unsafe indoors, it is even more unsafe outdoors where children will run, jump, and climb on it.
For more information on playground safety or to get your free playground safety checklist, visit www.uni.edu/playground/safety_week, or free handbook on playground safety visit www.cpsc.gov.
