Each year, more than 200,000 children go to U.S. hospital emergency rooms with injuries associated with playground equipment.
Most injuries occur when a child falls from the equipment onto the ground.
Use this simple checklist to help make sure your local community or school playground is a safe place to play. Check that protective surfacing extends at least 6 feet in all directions from play equipment. For swings, be sure surfacing extends, in back and front, twice the height of the suspending bar. Make sure play structures more than 30 inches high are spaced at least 9 feet apart. Make sure spaces that could trap children, such as openings in guardrails or between ladder rungs, measure less than 3.5 inches or more than 9 inches.