We no doubt also will remember some scrapes and bumps from playground falls. On an average day, approximately 548 children receive emergency room care for playground-related injuries. Most injuries result from falls to a playground surface and the majority are reported to involve swings, climbers, monkey bars, and slides. The first step to safety is to take a close look at your playground and its equipment. Preferred surfaces include double shredded bark mulch, wood chips, fine sand or gravel, all at depth of 12 inches.
Falls zones are surfaces that are free from any obstructions.
Do the fall zones on your playground extend a minimum of six feet around each piece of equipment. Eliminate moving parts that could crush or pinch a child's finger. That last point is an important one. Forty percent of playground injuries are related to inadequate supervision, so be sure you have enough volunteers or staff so that all children can be seen. Also, check to be sure that the playground equipment is age-appropriate.