America's playground's given a "C " for safety

Cedar Falls, IA

When the National Program for Playground Safety gave out report cards, America's playground barely passed with a C. The report cards were released to coincide with the recent National Playground Safety Week. The study showed that America's children are at potential risk in regards to supervision, age-appropriate design, fall surfacing and equipment maintenance.

211,000 children are admitted to emergency rooms each year for playground injuries. 17 children a year die. Because most injuries are caused by falls, safety surfacing has become a major issue. According to the consumer Product Safety Commission, 78% of playgrounds have suitable surfacing but only 47% have surfacing materials at the appropriate depths and distances to adequately cushion a fall.

Injuries are believed by the NPPS to be related to signage on the playground. The study found that only 10% of playgrounds have posted rules, only 41% have age-appropriate areas, and only 6% have labelled these areas with age-appropriate signage. In an effort to remedy this, 3M Nexcare First Aid Products has partnered with the NPPS group to install signage in four cities in order to set an example and call attention to design as a factor pertaining to safety.

Age-appropriate design, or lack of it, is related to injuries. Young children are prone to accidents on equipment that is made for older children, obviously, but older children are also prone to accidents on equipment meant for younger children. Tom Jambor, associate professor of child development at the University of Alabama, states that "the more boring the piece of equipment, the more likely the child is going to make it challenging in ways the designer never intended."