recreation

Appeared in RECREATION MANAGEMENT

A guide to playground diligence and maintenance By Stacy St. Clair

You've spent hours pouring over the latest safety recommendations. You followed the Consumer Production Safety Commission guidelines as if they were Gospel.

Now the top-of-line equipment has been installed. The structure has been checked—and rechecked—to ensure things are bolted and fastened properly.

You've done everything within your power to ensure the safest play structure available.

Your work here is done, right?

Nope. Not even close.

ENTANGLEMENT STATISTICS

ENTANGLEMENT -any condition where a child’s body, body part or garments have become caught or stuck, leading to injury or even to death by strangulation.

CAUSE OF DEATH -56% of reported fatalities, 82 deaths, were due to hanging, unintentional strangulation due to ENTANGLEMENT in foreign objects, items that were not designed to be part of the playground equipment such as ropes, clothing drawstrings, bike helmets and home-made rope swings.