Overview ! Applicable Guidelines & Standards

! Definitions

! Why is a safe playground important?

! Statistics

! What is a safe playground?

! What constitutes an unsafe playground?

! Other considerations

! Summary

Guidelines & Standards

Applicable Guidelines & Standards ! CPSC Pub 325, Public Playground Safety Handbook

! ASTM F1487-11, Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Playground Equipment for Public Use

! ASTM F1292-09, Standard Specification for Impact Attenuation of Surfacing Materials Within the Use Zone of Playground Equipment

! ASTM F1951-09b, Standard Specification for Determination of Accessibility of Surface Systems Under and Around Playground Equipment

! ASTM F2223-10, Standard Guide for ASTM Standards on Playground Surfacing

! ASTM F2479-12, Standard Guide for Specification, Purchase, Installation and Maintenance of Poured-in-Place Playground Surfacing

! ASTM F2049-11, Standard Guide for Fences/Barriers for Public, Commercial, and Multi-Family Residential Use Outdoor Play Areas

! ASTM F2075-10a, Standard Specification for Engineered Wood Fiber for Use as a Playground Safety Surface Under and Around Playground Equipment

! DOJ 2010 ADA Standard for Accessible Design

CPSC Guidelines are NOT for: ! Amusement park equipment

! Sports or fitness equipment

! Users over age 12

! Soft contained play equipment

! Constant air inflatable play devices

! Art and museum sculptures

! Equipment found in water play facilities

! Home playground equipment

ASTM F1487 Stipulates: “Products or materials (site furnishings) that are installed outside of the equipment use zone, such as benches, tables, independent shade structures, and borders used to contain protective surfacing, are not considered playground equipment and are not included in this specification.”

Definitions

A Few Key Definitions ! Public playground ! Designated play surface ! Fall height ! Critical height ! Entanglement ! Protrusion ! Entrapment ! Use zone

Define: Public Playground “Public” playground equipment refers to equipment for use by children ages 6 months through 12 years in the playground areas of:

! Commercial (non-residential) child care facilities

! Institutions

! Multiple family dwellings: Apartment & condominium buildings

! City, state, & community maintained parks

! Restaurants

! Resorts & recreational developments

! Schools

! Other areas of public use

Define: Designated Play Surface Any elevated surface for standing, walking, crawling, sitting or climbing, or a flat surface greater than 2 inches wide by 2 inches long having an angle less than 30° from horizontal.

Define: Fall Height The vertical distance between the highest designated play surface on a piece of equipment and the protective surfacing beneath it.

Define: Critical Height The fall height below which a life-threatening head injury would not be expected to occur. A rating for protective surfacing expressed in even feet.

Critical Height

Define: Entanglement A condition in which the user’s clothes or something around the user’s neck becomes caught or entwined on a component of playground equipment.

Entanglement

Define: Protrusion A projection which, when tested, is found to be a hazard having the potential to cause bodily injury to a user who impacts it.

Define: Entrapment Any condition that impedes withdrawal of a body or body part that has penetrated an opening. Preschool and school-age small torso template (5th percentile for 2-year old child)

Entrapment If the small torso template passes through an opening, the large head template must also pass through the opening. Large head template (95th percentile for a 5-year old child)

Entrapments

Define: Use Zone The surface under and around a piece of equipment

onto which a child falling from or exiting from the equipment would be expected to land.

Use Zone

Of Safe Playgrounds Importance

Safe Playground Importance ! It may be the law ̲  State law ̲  Federal law

! Liability

! It’s the kids!

It May Be the Law ! CPSC Publication No. 325 and ASTM playground

standards are generally considered to be voluntary

! According to the National Program for Playground Safety, the following states have adopted all or parts of CPSC or ASTM

Playground Legislation

Arkansas Oklahoma California Oregon Connecticut Rhode Island Florida Tennessee Illinois Texas Michigan Utah New Jersey Virginia North Carolina Wyoming

Source: National Program for Playground Safety, NPPS; http://playgroundsafety.org/standards/regulations

Liability ! Death or injury

! Lawsuits

! Public perception

! Reputation

It’s the Kids

Statistics

Playground Accidents Between 2001 - 2008, an average of 218,851 preschool and elementary children received emergency department care for injuries that occurred on playground equipment.

! 51% of the injuries happened on public playground equipment

! 19% occurred on home playground equipment

! 20% not recorded

! 1% Other

Source: Injuries & Investigated Deaths Associated with Playground Equipment, 2001-08; CPSC October 29, 2009 • Statistics are based, in part, on data provided by the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS)

Playground Accidents Of the incidents reported:

! 67% involved falls or equipment failure

! 8% hazards around but not related to the equipment

! 7% collisions with other children or the equipment

! 7% entrapments

! 11% other Source: Injuries & Investigated Deaths Associated with Playground Equipment, 2001-08; CPSC October 29, 2009 • Statistics are based, in part, on data provided by the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS)

Playground Accidents 40 Deaths were associated with playground equipment between 2001-2008.

! Average age was 6 years; median age was 4 years.

! 27 deaths were the result of hangings or other asphyxiations

! 7 deaths were the result of head or neck injuries Source: Injuries & Investigated Deaths Associated with Playground Equipment, 2001-08; CPSC October 29, 2009 • Statistics are based, in part, on data provided by the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS)

Safe Playgrounds

What is a Safe Playground?

What is a Safe Playground? ! Conforms with CPSC and ASTM Guidelines

! Regular Inspections and Maintenance ̲  High Frequency ̲  Low Frequency

! Training ̲  Maintenance Personnel ̲  Monitors ̲  Other Stakeholders

! Supervision

What is a Safe Playground? ! Replacement Program ̲  Equipment doesn’t last forever ̲  No consistent life cycle; affected by:

Environment Materials Use patterns/unrestricted access Maintenance

! Vigilance

Common Playground Hazards Unsafe Playgrounds

Entanglements

Entanglements

Entanglements

Wrong Parts

Protrusions

Protective Surfacing

Protective Surfacing

Other Concerns

Other Concerns

Other Concerns

Other Concerns

Other Concerns

For Consideration

Risk Management Signage

ADA Compliance

Summary

Summary ! Keys to a Safe Playground ̲  Design ̲  Installation ̲  Maintenance ̲  Supervision

Summary ! Children learn from

taking risks

! It is our job to eliminate the hazards

A Safe Playground is No Accident

References ALPHAfacilities.com for resources: ! Pub 325

! DOJ 2010 ADA Standard for Accessible Design

! CPSC Playground Injuries Report 2009

Ron Menke Certified Playground Safety Inspector #180181-0116 National Playground Safety Institute of the National Recreation and Park Association 11503 NW Military Hwy, Ste 300, San Antonio, TX 78231 e: ron.menke@alpha-fs.com www.alphafacilities.com LINKEDIN: www.linkedin.com/pub/ron-menke/36/1b2/158