Playground Safety

Falls and strangulation account for almost 75 per cent of playground injuries. They are also the most common cause of playground injury-related deaths. Most falls involve climbers, slides or swings, and result in fractures and head injuries. Playground injuries happen to children of all ages, but are most common among the five- to nine-year-old category.

Home playground injuries are increasing and now represent 20 per cent of all playground injuries. Approximately 50 per cent of home playground injuries involve swings. One- to four- year-old children are more likely to be injured at home than are other age groups.

As with all other injuries, playground injuries are predictable and preventable. Parents and caregivers must always closely watch young children while playing on playground structures.

Another safety issue to consider is arsenic found in playground equipment.

Playground structures made from pressure-treated wood containing chromated copper arsenate (CCA) can leach high levels of arsenic into the surrounding sand. The safest course of action for parents is to keep children away from playground structures made with CCA-treated wood and the surrounding sand.

Those who come into contact with CCA wood should take the following steps:

• Always wash hands after touching CCA-treated wood.
• Avoid hand-to-mouth activity, such as eating and drinking, after touching CCA-treated wood.
• Never eat any food that might have come into contact with CCA-treated wood.
• Never allow children to dig in or eat sand next to CCA-treated wood structures.