Healthy Kids, Healthy Care: Playground Safety

Healthy Kids, Healthy Care:
Playground Safety
National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care
1-800-598-5437
http://nrckids.org

Key Questions

Do adults actively supervise all children while they are outside?

Is the playground surrounded by a fence?

Is the sandbox clean?

Is the playground equipment safe, with no sharp edges or loose pieces?

Are materials used for the surface under equipment checked often for depth (cushioning) and hazards?

Hints:

Drop by when the children are outside.

Is outdoor time safe and enjoyable?

Do caregivers encourage or organize active physical play and stay close by?

Want to know more?

• What to look for regarding the play equipment and playgrounds

Height limits for play equipment should generally be one foot per year of age of the intended users.

Equipment must be designed for the ages, interests and abilities of the children.

Metal surfaces (slides, bars and rungs) must be shaded to prevent burns

Surfacing material (sand, pea gravel, wood mulch, rubber mulch) under the fall zone of playground equipment must be 9 - 12 inches deep, depending upon the material. See Caring for Our Children Appendix V Depth Required for Tested Shock Absorbing Surfacing Materials for Use Under Play Equipment

Surfacing material must be re-distributed regularly.

Hint: Fall zones vary according to the equipment. See the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's Handbook on Public Playground Safety for individual equipment fall zone dimensions (http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/325.pdf).

Recycled surfacing materials (like rubber mats) must be manufactured under federal product safety guidelines.

Exercise rings and other openings must be smaller than 3 1/2 inches or larger than 9 inches (to prevent strangulation).

Crawl spaces (like pipes and tunnels) must be firmly anchored and have a diameter of at least 23 inches.

There must be no water (ditches, pools, fish ponds, etc) other than water play tables.

Fences must be at least 4 feet high and no more than 3 ½ inches off the ground, and made of materials that discourage climbing.

Fencing twist wires and bolts must face away from the playground.

Bolts, screws, hooks and eyes, rungs and all other connecting and linking hardware must be designed to prevent loosening or unfastening, except by adults with special tools.

Climbing structures and swings must be anchored in concrete footing at least 6 inches deep.

Playgrounds must be located more than 30 feet away from electrical transformers & substations, high voltage power lines, air conditioning units, railroad tracks, sources of toxic fumes or gases, or other major hazards.

Swings must have only 2 seats per frame; they must be positioned at least 24 inches apart from each other and 30 inches from any supports. Front and back clearance areas (where no people or objects are allowed) must be the distance of twice the height of the swing.

Sand boxes must be covered when not in use.

There should be enough play equipment and materials to avoid excessive competition and long waits.

• How are children supervised during playground time?

Caregivers must walk around the playground, staying with the children and watching them closely (not clustering together for chatting). Playground time is not break time for caregivers.

Supervisors should conduct a daily playground safety inspection (checking for: "bald spots" in surfacing material, broken glass, choking hazards, broken equipment, animal excrement, etc.). Problems must be corrected before children are allowed to play outside.

Children must be checked for loose clothing, draw strings, skipping ropes - anything that could get caught on equipment.

Children must be dressed appropriately for outdoor play, including sunscreen application.

Children should be taught playground safety rules:

Take turns.

Stay away from swings and moving equipment being used by others.

No eating or chewing gum on the playground.

Sit down on swings.

Go down the slide feet first.

Hold onto handgrips and railings.

• When is it too hot or too cold to play outside?

Children should not play outdoors if:

The heat index is at or above 90 degrees F,
The wind chill is at or below 15 degrees F,
Air quality conditions pose significant health risks as reported in public safety alerts by the local health department.

Note:
- Fresh air and exercise are good for children.
- They should spend time outdoors every day, if possible.
- Drinking water should be available during all activities.
- Children should be dressed appropriate for the conditions outside.
- Children should be dressed in light, sun protective clothing in warm weather.
- In cold weather, children's clothing should be layered and dry.
- Children should be protected from the sun by wearing sun screen with at least SPF 15 or higher.

How to help your caregiver with this topic

Dress your child for outdoor safety:

Make sure no drawstrings, tabs or loops are exposed.

Have layered clothing for the possibility of changing weather.

At a minimum, supply a change of socks and pants for playground encounters with mud, snow or rain.

Supply sunscreen, and written permission for its application. Ask that it be applied to your child before outdoor playtime on sunny days and before field trips.

Note: Children should wash hands when they come in from the playground so they don't eat or rub eyes with sunscreen on their hands.

Teach your child to share and take turns.

Organize other parents in a playground work session on a regular basis (with the support and permission of the child care program's director). This is a good way to get to know other families. Do a safety check and make repairs and upgrades, such as:

Re-distribute surfacing material (pea gravel, etc.).

Fill in holes.

Look around for wasp and bee hives, or remove standing water that could breed mosquitoes.

Check the fence and gate, fix hazards.

Check all equipment for loose bolts, hinges, screws, etc.

Sand and refinish any rough surfaces.

Scrub outdoor toys and furniture

Build a shade gazebo for a hot slide.

Additional Resources

Materials

Handbook for Public Playground Safety (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) (note: this may take some time to load if you don’t have broadband Internet service)
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/325.pdf

Outdoor Home Playground Safety Handbook

(note: this may take some time to load if you don’t have broadband Internet service)

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/324.pdf

Is your home playground a safe place to play? (US Consumer Product Safety Commission)
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/pg1.pdf

Keep Your Children Safe: A Quick Checklist for Parents (National Program for Playground Safety)
http://www.playgroundsafety.org/safety/checklist.htm

Tips for Limiting Sun Exposure (National Program for Playground Safety)
http://www.playgroundsafety.org/safety/sunexposure.htm

When is it too hot or too cold to play outside? (Healthy Child Care Iowa)
http://www.idph.state.ia.us/hcci/common/pdf/weatherwatch.pdf

Organizations

http://www.playgroundsafety.org/

http://www.nrpa.org

http://kaboom.org/

Research

Research on Injuries

http://www.playgroundsafety.org/research/index.htm

13 Indicators of Quality Child Care: Research Update: Outdoor Playground Indicator

http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/ccquality-ind02/index.htm#Outdoor

Based on Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards: Guidelines for Out-of-Home Child Care Programs, 2nd Edition, 2002, (American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Administration, and National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care)

STANDARD 2.009 - PLAYING OUTDOORS
STANDARDS 5.162-5.197 - ACTIVE PLAY INDOOR AND OUTDOOR AREAS
APPENDIX V - DEPTH REQUIRED FOR TESTED SHOCK ABSORBING SURFACING MATERIALS FOR USE UNDER PLAY EQUIPMENT

Disclaimer: Healthy Kids, Healthy Care is for reference purposes only and shall not be used as a substitute for medical consultation, nor be used to authorize actions beyond a person's licensing, training, or ability.