Playground Safety Information
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Issues
New Playground Injury Data for 2001 - 08

Recently, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) conducted its first update on playground injuries since 2000. It released the information in a report titled "Injuries and Investigated Deaths Associated with Playground Equpment, 2001 - 2008" (click here for link to .PDF). These sobering statistics offer some guidance for both playground operators and parents.

Number of playground incidents reported to the CPSC from 2001-08: 2,691 incidents

Percentage of playground incidents that were minor, and didn't involve hospitalization: 73% (fortunately).

Most incident-prone age group: children under 5 (approx. 54% of reported injuries). Allowing for the normal tumbles that pre-school age children take, this figure suggests that younger children should be carefully supervised by an adult when using playground equipment.

#1 cause of playground injuries: falls from, into, or onto equipment (44%). This suggests that playground operators and parents need to make sure to maintain proper levels of resilient surfacing under and around playground equipment. The appropriate level depends on the height of the designated play surfaces on the playground equipment. For resilient surfacing, use a minimum 9" of woodchips or engineered wood fiber within the use zone (under the structure and 6 feet in all directions).

#2 cause of playground injuries: equipment breakage, tip-over, poor design, or bad assembly (23%). This suggests that playground operators and parents should keep a close eye on the condition of their play structures. A great way to do this is to hire a Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI), trained by the National Recreation and Park Association. They apply the latest CPSC Guidelines and ASTM International standards. so phone us today for a referral at (877) 778-8830.

If you have any questions about playground safety, our company has 5 Certified Playground Safety Inspectors (CPSIs) on staff. Just phone us toll free at (877) 778-8830. We're friendly and knowledgeable!

January, 2010