Staying Safe at Playgrounds

Children love playgrounds. Swings, monkey bars, and other play structures can provide hours of fun for kids. However, like anything else, there are dangers involved.

Children can fall off play structures. They can injure themselves on slides. There may be sharp corners that cause injuries.

Playground injuries can cause broken bones, concussions, sprains, strains, and lacerations. In fact, more than 220,000 children are treated in hospital emergency departments for playground injuries every year.

There are three main things that parents and caregivers can do to keep children safe while playing at playgrounds:

• Provide close supervision.
• Ensure that equipment and ground surfaces are free of potential hazards
• Make sure kids use age-appropriate play areas.

Here’s an in-depth look at playground injuries and how they can be prevented.

Look for Safety Issues

A responsible adult should survey the area around the playground to look for any hazards. This means assessing the play structures as well as  the ground. The ground should be soft, with no asphalt or concrete. Plus, the equipment should not be faulty.

Be especially careful in the summer heat. Make sure your child is wearing shoes and sunscreen. Keep in mind that the sun will make metal hot, and this can burn skin. Your child should also be mindful of wet equipment, which can cause your child to slip and fall.

Swing Safety

Swings can be dangerous if not used properly. Keep these tips in mind:

• Make sure the swing seat is made of rubber or plastic.
• Never stand on or jump off the swing.
• Avoid walking in front of moving swings, as you could get kicked.

Slide Safety

Slides can be fun but horseplay can lead to injuries. Follow these tips for slide safety:

• Go down the slide feet first.
• Only one person should go down the slide at a time.
• Wait until the person in front of you is on the ground and has moved away from the slide.
• Never climb up the front of the slide.
• As a parent, don’t go down the slide with a child on your lap. Your child’s feet could get caught, causing them to break a leg.

Avoiding Falls

Falls from playground structures is a common cause of emergency room visits among children. Children may fall from structures after slipping, losing their balance, or losing their grip. Children can get hurt not only by hitting the ground but also hitting something on the way down when falling. To avoid falls, children should climb steps slowly and hold onto the handrails.

Contact a Personal Injury Attorney Today

Playgrounds are supposed to be fun and safe for children. However, injuries can occur,  especially due to heights and roughhousing.

Who is responsible? Is it the school district? Another student? Someone else? Suing a school district or other public entity is a complex situation. Get the help you need from a Tampa school injury attorney from Moore Law. Don’t settle for less. Get Moore. To schedule a free consultation, fill out the online form or call 813-510-5400.

Source:

hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/exploring-playground-injuries#:~:text=Close%20supervision%20by%20a%20responsible,that%20sun%20makes%20metal%20hot