Keep Kids Safe at the Playground

More on summer safety! Playground accidents are the leading cause of injury to children in elementary school. Each year, in the United States, approximately 150,000 children ages five to 14 go to the emergency room with accidental injuries involving playground equipment -- and three out of four playground accidents occur on public playgrounds, including school facilities, as opposed to backyard play equipment.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the ground should be covered 12 inches deep with shredded rubber, hardwood fiber mulch or fine sand, extending at least six feet in all directions around the equipment. This lessens the chances that severe injury occurs WHEN a child falls. I say when, because they will fall. Medical experts say that I child who falls more than 10 feet risks spinal cord injury, paralysis and/or death. These guidelines apply to all types of playgrounds, home, school and parks. So check out your own areas for safety.

Also, I've posted plenty of recalls for clothing with drawstrings on this blog. About ten children per year die from injuries involving playground equipment, mostly from strangulation when a piece of loose clothing or jewelry gets caught on equipment or the child's head gets stuck between climbing bars. Parents should be vigilant. For outdoor play, children's clothing and outerwear should be free of drawstrings and should fit snugly to minimize the risk of getting stuck in a piece of equipment. Do not allow kids to wear helmets, necklaces, purses or scarves on the playground or engage in any pushing, shoving or crowding around playground equipment.

The CPSC Playground Guidelines Handbook is available by calling 800.638.2772. At school, you might want to take a look at the school playground and, if necessary, discuss the CPSC guidelines with school officials.