5 Tips for Playground Safety

By theadmin

The fresh fall air certainly qualifies as grounds for playing outdoors, and there’s no better way to enjoy the crisp weather than heading to your local playground. But even the most innocuous of parks contains potential for injury. In fact, the National Recreation and Park Association estimates more than 200,000 children younger than 14 are hurt in playground accidents each year, with more than 50 of those injuries coming from equipment design flaws and construction defects.

Don’t let faulty equipment and injuries put a damper on your children’s fall fun. Play it safe with these tips.

1. Scan the Grounds

Before letting your children play, make sure to look for rusty equipment, exposed nails, and chipped or sharp plastic. Also check the temperature of the equipment. If you notice something dangerous, take a quick picture and send it to your local parks and recreation department so it can fix the problem before it becomes a liability.

2. Know the Ropes

Climbing is the most common cause of injury on public playgrounds, and swinging leads to the most bumps and bruises on home play sets. While constant monitoring is of course the best game plan, make sure to take notice when your child enters one of these high-risk zones.

3. Bring Your Camera

In the event your child is hurt by faulty equipment or maintenance negligence, take a video or snap multiple pictures of the scene from different angles so you have enough evidence to support any injury claims.

4. Keep a Close Watch

Your kids love having your attention (i.e., “Look at me, Mom!”), so give it to them. Close monitoring not only helps save your kids from hurtful blows, but it can also be a lifesaver.

5. Become a Surface Snob

The National Program for Playground Safety found nearly 70 percent of all playground injuries are related to falls on the park’s play surface. Nonimpact absorbing surfaces like asphalt, concrete, grass, or dirt can increase the severity of falls, so seek out playgrounds lined with wood chips, sand, or even shredded rubber or pea gravel.

If a playground injury has you filing a liability claim, call Texas Farm Bureau Insurance’s 24-hour claims line at 800.266.5458 or contact your Agent.