We may be seeing the beginning signs of spring, easing
out of our “caves” from the winter hibernation, but according to Punxsutawney Phil’s shadow, we’re in for a bit more
hoodie and jacket weather. Now, we want kids outside, living it up on the
playgrounds as much as possible, however parents, play supervisors and
equipment care takers need to brush up on their safety skills to keep everyone
playing safe. Don’t let something simple, like a cozy hoodie, spell disaster on
your playground.
Here are some not-so-fun facts from Safe
Kids WORLDWIDE. Playground injuries are the leading cause of injury to children
in childcare and ages 5-14 in schools. Strangulation resulting from
entanglement and entrapment is the primary cause of playground related
equipment-related fatalities, accounting for nearly 56% of deaths. The upside here
is these kind of accidents are very preventable through, education, awareness, supervision
and maintenance.
Let’s start with a little basic
terminology. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) defines
Entanglement as, “A condition in which the user’s clothes or something around
the neck becomes entwined on a component of playground equipment.” Entrapment
is, “Any condition that impedes withdrawal of a body or body part that has
penetrated an opening.” Now that we know what we want to prevent, let’s talk
about how.
Entanglements are most commonly caused
by a hoodie string, necklace, scarf or lanyard getting caught in a gap or by a protruding
element on or near a slide or moving piece of equipment. The first course of
action is to educate children and parents that having anything that can get
caught or tighten around the neck is a potential safety hazard and should be
removed before play time. But I’m cold?! If you can’t remove the hood from a
jacket be sure not to tie the ends of your two hoodie strings together, that
way if one end gets caught, it has the potential to pull all the way through.
When purchasing coats, look for snap or Velcro options that will give and
release. To prevent entrapments, take off those bike helmets as soon as you get
to the playground. Openings in current equipment are designed based on
anthropometric data, which doesn’t account for “after-market” accessories,
which they are not born with, such as a helmet. Very doable, right?
The second, and perhaps most important,
part of prevention is maintenance. It is the responsibility of the playground
owner to maintain their equipment, ensure that it meets safety guidelines, is
in working order and does not present immediate hazards to its users. Ideally,
a public playground would be inspected annually by a Certified Playground
Safety Inspector (CPSI), in addition to routine maintenance audits, but at the
very least, guardians should know some key things to look for.
I highly recommend the CPSC’s ‘Handbook for Playground Safety’. It is
offered as a free download on their website and is an excellent resource for
comprehensive safety requirements. Here are some quick and dirty hazard basics
to consider, in the meantime. Equipment manufactured after 1995 should meet all
entrapment guidelines for openings, if properly maintained and installed. However,
if a playground is older and has not been retrofitted, assume it is not in
compliance and use caution. If an elevated opening is larger than 3.5” and less
than 9” in width it could be an entrapment hazard. Areas near slides or
movement pieces, like spinners or swings, should be thoroughly checked for
small gaps of protrusions where clothing could get caught, causing an
entanglement. If you spot something you think is a hazard, try to let the owner
or person in charge of maintenance know of your concern. That way they can
address it immediately or close that piece off, if necessary.
The third key to prevention is
supervision. Social media is great, what’s even better is real live
socialization on the playground! Put away your electronics and actually enjoy
your kids playing, or better yet join in! Remember, those play years go fast,
and it won’t be long until they’re asking for the keys to your car. At the very
least you should keep a very active eye on them. If an accident does occur,
every second counts when it comes to responding. Also, know the rules. Most newer
playgrounds come with warning signage and or stickers. Read these and make sure
that you are using the space as advised. If a piece of equipment is labeled
5-12, it was not designed for your 3 year-old and is not safe for them to use. For
playground supervisors, have a game plan in place. The manufacturer, BCI Burke,
even offers official playground supervision kits from The National Program for
Playground Safety with their new playgrounds. This includes a simple guidebook
and basic tools to easily help teachers and supervisors be prepared for
playground duty.
After all this serious business, don’t
forget play is meant to be fun! We don’t ever want to scare people away from
the playground and back to their glowing screens. The goal here is to take a
few steps to prevent senseless, unnecessary, life changing accidents. With open
eyes, a little knowledge and effort, we help create safe, challenging
environments for children to grow and play!
About BCI Burke: BCI Burke has been creating playgrounds
since the early 1920’s and is a premier manufacturer of commercial playground,
park and recreation equipment. The Burke
Reinventing Play ™ business philosophy focuses on continual improvement and
exceptional customer commitment, as well as creating the highest quality
playground, park and recreation products, backed by the best warranty in the
industry. For more information visit www.bciburke.com or www.buellrecreation.com.
Resources:
US Consumer Product Safety Commission- http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Safety-Education/Safety-Guides/Sports-Fitness-and-Recreation/Playground-Safety/
