From the photo one can assume several things.  First, the equipment is rather old.  This facility is currently planned for removal and installation of new equipment.  The maintenance staff has retrofitted a broken slide by barricading off the area with a construction sign and a permanent barricade.  This park has properly taken measures to avoid injuries on the playground.  Removing the previous slide base could increase safety.

Many parks do not fix these problems when they are present as no maintenance is performed on the facility.  If a child were to have been injured on this slide, the park would likely be responsible.  A little maintenance now is better than a lawsuit later.

Who really needs safety surfacing?  The photo below assists my constant promotion of safety surfacing on playgrounds.  Not only is there no surfacing on this playground, the fall area is a giant pool of water.  For tire swings, we offer a swing mat designed specifically for use under the swing.  Swing mats reduce digging under swings.

If a child falls from this swing, the likelihood of injury is much greater than if there were surfacing.  Although this playground is old and outdated, the equipment still functions and is used by many children.  Abiding by every code in the safety handbook is not possible, however this organization needs to do more.  Surfacing such as mulch is affordable and readily available.

It did not take long for me to recognize a potential hazard within 1 mile from our offices. The equipment is rather dated, and is located at a baseball park, which gets a lot of use. There are multiple reasons this equipment is in need of urgent repair.

The swing pictured has a loose chain where a bolt has come loose from the swing hanger. One loose bolt resulted in the current position of the swing. This is an easy fix with proper replacement hardware that would cost less than $20.

The real cause for concern is the time this hazard has existed. The truth is I have noticed this hazard for over a year. This means the grounds crew does not have any maintenance schedule for repair on the playground equipment. If a child had been sitting in the swing when the bolt came loose, a serious injury could have occurred. This displays the true need of maintenance schedules and actually performing maintenance on the playground.

Now that the chain is loose, the swing is a hazard to the adjoining swing seat, as the user could inadvertently grab it in the swinging motion. Also, this would be considered a strangulation hazard as a child could get hung up and strangled on the loose chain.

The ideal procedure of maintenance to this swing is to remove the broken chain, seat, and hangers. One should notice that there are 3 swings in the swing bay. Current safety standards only allow for 2 swing seats per swing bay. Removing the hazardous swing is ideal and would result in less serious injuries. Adding a layer of mulch or protective surfacing would be recommended in this area as well.

It is a common myth that most injuries on playgrounds occur from swings. This is untrue. Almost 80 percent of injuries on playgrounds are from falls to the surface. Less than 15 percent of injuries are from swings, merry-go-rounds, and rotating equipment. Are swings good for your playground? Yes, swings will be one of your most used pieces of equipment and the best investment for your play area. However, swings do come with several drawbacks, or excuses to not purchase.

The first major drawback of swings comes when the safety surfacing below is loose. By loose, I am referring to any surface that shifts, such as wood mulch, sand, pea gravel, etc. These surfaces tend to erode greatly under swing areas as children kick and drag their feet while swinging. This is avoided with unitary safety surfaces such as poured in place and playground tiles. An easy and affordable fix for a playground operator that currently has loose surfacing is a swing mat. The best mats account for the entire area under the swing, generally six feet long.

The second major drawback to installing a swingset on the playground is the maintenance issue. Although this is somewhat tied to the previous issue, here I am referring to the swing itself. S-hooks, chains, and seats can be vandalized, wear, etc. and create the possibility of severe injury if not properly maintained. Generally, this becomes a legal concern, as any injury that occurs will be the responsibility of the owner/operator. Needless to say, a pair of s-hook pliers for under $200 is a great deal compared to a lawsuit from an open s-hook that costs hundreds of thousands of taxpayer or budgetary monies.

In general, a properly installed swing should be looked after on a scheduled basis to check for hazards. Swing supplies are inexpensive, and readily available. There is no excuse for dangerous swings.  Adequate surfacing and a proper maintenance schedule will help avoid many injuries.

Playgrounds are built for children from ages 2-12.  Supervision on a playground is necessary for the safety of your children, as equipment is often used in unintended ways.  Children have imaginations, and although adults would not try to slide down face first, your child will.  All play activities should be monitored and if certain areas of your playground are being used inappropriately, remedial action should taken to prevent injuries.  Some items on the playground are obvious hazards that are only avoided by education and trial by error from the child.  For instance, walking in front of a swing is not a good idea for a child as he or she will be at risk of injury.  This event is only learned by trial and error.  Sliding down climbers, climbing up swings, and several other activities should be monitored so your child will learn what to do and what not to do on the playground.

The safety checklist is important for all playground owners to understand and be aware of potential hazards that may exist. By limiting the number of hazards on your playground, injuries will be less likely to occur. Some playground companies pride themselves in never having a lawsuit. This is an accomplishment, and often a difficult task. Play areas often provide high standing and climbing areas inductive to injuries. With proper spacing and design, your new playground structure can be safe and fun.

1. Improper Protective Surfacing
   • The leading cause of playground related injuries is from falls to surfaces without fall protection.
2. Inadequate Use Zone
   • Use zone is is the area around playground equipment where a child might fall.  Use zones of all equipment varies by design.
3. Protrusion & Entanglement Hazards
   • Older and improperly installed equipment may include protruding bolts, open S Hooks on swings, and other hazards.  Your organization should check for these hazards regularly.
4. Entrapment in Openings
   • Enclosed openings should be checked for head entrapment hazards. Tools to assist in checking are available from most manufacturers.  Openings between 3.5 and 9 inches may be considered a hazard depending on the type and placement on equipment.
5. Insufficient Equipment Spacing
   • Due to increased safety requirements and improper installation spacing is often a limiting factor in new playground installations. Swings use twice the height on the top beam, in front and behind the swingset.
6. Trip Hazards
   • Look for rocks, roots, stumps, exposed concrete footings, and surface variations.  These trip hazards will put your children in unnecessary danger.
7. Lack of Supervision
   • Easy supervision is a key element in reducing injuries. This is more in the initial design and whether the area is open to the public.  An unobstructed line of sight is necessary.
8. Age-Inappropriate Activities
   • Children’s developmental needs vary greatly for from age 2 to age 12. Generally we do not recommend structures for all ages.
9. Lack of Maintenance
   • Playgrounds are an investment and must be kept safe. Many national organizations have developed to maintain, clean, and service play areas. Contact us for more information on playground safety.
10. Crush, Shearing and Sharp Edge Hazards
    • Sharp edges often become apparent only after an injury occurs. Vandalism and weather may cause sharp edge hazards.
11. Platforms with No Guardrails
    • Elevated surfaces need protection to prevent falls from bridges and decks. If you are inspecting an older playground, check for missing rails or apparent hazards. Guardrails and protective barriers are required for preventing inadvertent falls.
12. Equipment Not Recommended for Public Playgrounds
    • Some equipment offers dangers so great it has resulted complete ban from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). These products have not been sold for many years, but may be sold on the after market. Animal figure swingsets, glider type swings, free swinging ropes that may form a loop, and swinging exercise rings are all considered unsuitable for a public playground

If you have questions regarding your current playground and need guidance as to a recent inspection or potential hazards, feel free to email or call our main office. For new playground equipment purchases, many of these hazards can be planned for and avoided.