U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission new playground equipment report |

Homeowner liability

Insurance Information Institute recommends |

Where playground injuries happen

1. Home (66%)
2. Restaurant (26%)
3. Park (3%)
4. School (2%)

Playground fatalities

Neck & head injuries

Play equipment causing injuries

1. Monkey bars or playground gyms (34%)
2. Swings or swing sets (25%)
3. Slides or sliding boards (21%)
4. Other playground equipment (9%)
5. Not specified (9%)
6. Seesaws or teeter totters (2%)

Injuries from playground equipment

1. Fractures (34%)
2. Contusions and abrasions (17%)
3. Lacerations (15%)
4. Strains and sprains (13%)
5. Internal organ injuries (9%)
6. Other/not stated (6%)
7. Concussions (2%)
8. Dislocation (1%)
9. Dental injuries (1%)
10. Hematomas (1%)

1. Arm (41%)
2. Head (18%)
3. Leg (16%)
4. Face (15%)

Playground safety tips

• Always supervise kids, and make sure kids use playground equipment appropriate for their age.
• Never attach ropes, jump ropes, pet leashes or strings to playground equipment; children can strangle on these.
• Make sure children's clothing does not have any drawstrings as they can catch on slides and other equipment.
• Make sure surfaces around playgrounds have 9-12 inches of wood chips, mulch, sand, pea gravel, or mats made of safety-tested rubber.
• Check that protective surfacing extends at least six feet in all directions from play equipment. For swings, be sure surfacing extends, in back and front, twice the height of the suspending bar. Look out for tripping hazards, like exposed concrete footings, tree stumps, and rocks.
• Don't let kids play on slides/surfaces that are burning hot. The weather does not have be 100 degrees in order for equipment to heat up and cause burns. If it feels hot to your hand, it may be too hot for a child's bare skin!

See also:

• Unusual risks of pool ownership
• Playground risk: Not all fun and games
• Summer can be the riskiest time of year