Playground Safety Playground Safety Playground Safety Playground Safety

Ed StallardEd Stallard Certified Playground Safety InspectorCertified Playground Safety Inspector

Mesa Public SchoolsMesa Public Schools

The playground…• The place where children run,

laugh, take risks and explore the possibilities

• The place where imagination and spontaneity rule the moment

• The place where play claims a major role in childhood development

Skills learned at the playground…

• Agility• Strength-building• Self-expression• Coordination• Creativity• Independence• Social• Sharing

Why playground safety?

• A child assumes that a playground is safe to play on

• A child assumes the risk of play

• A child is not aware of a potential hazard associated with that moment or act of play

With children at play…

No hope of having an injury-free play area

Two Primary U.S. Playground Safety Documents…

• CPSC Publication#325, 2008…Public

Playground Safety Handbook

Federal Guideline & Recommendation

• ASTM F1487-07…Standard ConsumerSafety Performance Specification for Playground Equipment for Public Use

National Voluntary Standard

U.S. Organizations concerned with Playground

Safety…

• NPSI-National Playground Safety Institute

• CPSC-Consumer Products Safety Commission

• ASTM-American Society for Testing and Materials International

• IPEMA- International Playground Equipment Manufacturers Association

• NPCAI-National Playground Contractors Association

• NPPS-National Program for Playground Safety

So, what to look for… • Age-appropriate• Head entrapment• Neck entrapment• Entanglement• Pinch-points• Sharps• Surfacing• Lead Paint

• Fall zones• Obstructions• Fatigue and wear• Corrosion

Priority 1 Hazards…• Death• Brain Damage• Permanent

Paralysis• Loss of Vision• Loss of Speech• Loss of Limb• Organ Destruction

Hazard Factors…

• Possibility

• Probability

• Consequences

Playground Injury Factors…

• Improper use/poor supervision

• Poor maintenance• Inappropriate

design• Installation issues• Site planning issues

National Playground Safety Institute Vision:

Every playground will

have…• A safe play environment• Age appropriate equipment and activities

• Compliance with standards and guidelines

All of this, and children having fun!

Playground Safety Program…

• Identify safety hazards• Rank the hazards• Apply knowledge

Establish a comprehensiveplayground safety program

Mesa Public SchoolsPlayground Safety…

• Training video

• Training booklet

• Playground hip-pack