Here is a sad statistic about America’s playgrounds. That is, that some are not safe. “It is estimated that, each year, more than 200,000 playground-related injuries occur, and approximately 15 children will die as a result of a playground accident.” That is according to the NRPA.
NRPA’s National Playground Safety Institute (NPSI) has identified 12 of the leading causes of injuries on playgrounds. They have what they call “The Dirty Dozen – A Checklist for Safe Playgrounds,” which is a brochure that identifies and discusses the 12 most common safety concerns and leading causes of injuries on playgrounds.
#1 The Playground Surface
Of course this is the issue we focus on the most — is your playground surface safe?
Here’s what they say:
Improper surfacing material under playground equipment is the leading cause of playground-related injuries. Over 79% of all accidents on playgrounds are from children falling.
The surface or ground under/around the playground equipment should be soft enough to
cushion a fall. A fall onto one of these hard surfaces could be life threatening and there are
many surfaces that offer protection from falls.
Good playground surfaces
• Sand / Pea Gravel
• Synthetic / Rubber Tiles
• Shredded Rubber
• Mats
• Poured-in-place rubber
Not good
• Concrete
• Blacktop
• Packed Earth
• Grass
Most loose-fill surfacing must be maintained at a depth of 12 inches and be free of standing water and debris.
Is your playground safe for kids? More of the dirty dozen coming soon…
