Playground Safety

Each year approximately 150,000 American children are treated in emergency rooms for injuries that occurred on public playground equipment. Here are 10 important tips for parents and community groups to keep in mind to help ensure playground safety.

Playground Safety Checklist:

1. Make sure surfaces around playground equipment have the proper depth of safety surfacing.
2. Check that protective surfacing extends at least 6 feet in all directions from the play equipment. For swings be sure surfacing extends, in front and back, twice the height of the swing bar.
3. Make sure play structures more than 30 inches high are spread at least 9 feet apart.
4. Check for dangerous hardware like "S" Hooks or protruding bolt ends.
5. Make sure spaces that could trap children, such as openings in guardrails or in between ladder rungs, measure less than 3.5 inches or more than 9 inches.
6. Check for sharp points or edges in equipment.
7. Look out for tripping hazards like exposed concrete footings, tree stumps, and rocks.
8. Make sure elevated surfaces, such as platforms and ramps, have guardrails to prevent falls.
9. Check playgrounds regularly to see that equipment and surfacing is in good condition.
10. Carefully supervise children on playgrounds to make sure they are safe.

Check out our Safety Surfacing and Rubber Mats.