Playground Safety

Equipment Play and Appropriate Behavior

Source

Scott Burton, President

Safety Play, Inc.

Contents

Forums

Related Articles

Playground Behaviors

This is the second article in a series on Playground Safety. The last article, Playground Safety - What You Can Do, touched on playground supervision, which must be recognized as going hand in hand with proper behavior on the playground. But what are the proper behaviors, and how do we enforce them? Well, enforcement simply reverts to being there while you supervise your kids. Proper signage is also a good idea so that you know how to use the equipment. Still, how to behave on the playground and use the equipment correctly is a mystery to a lot of people, believe it or not.

Kids are like walking accidents waiting to happen. They'll push, pull, kick, and sometimes do whatever it takes to hurt another. This type of behavior needs to be monitored via good supervision. If they consistently act like this, remove them from the playground so they don't injure themselves or others.

On the other hand, "kids will be kids". A lot of children behave certain ways because they are simply children. Sometimes they only know that they are "exploring" or "playing", and don't know that their actions may cause injury to themselves or others.

Behavior Examples

• In Florida, a child was using the chin-up bar the correct way, but another kid pulled him off. The user fell and struck an acorn nut on the equipment and received a "cut on his elbow requiring three stitches. The school was sued for improper equipment and lack of supervision. It was shown that the equipment was fine, and supervision was excellent. But that second child that pulled him down was never involved or so much as reprimanded. The Defendant settled for $50,000, plus about $15,000 in costs. For a small cut! Improper behavior can be costly.
  
  
• Several times, upon arriving at schools, I have witnessed teachers grouped together talking amongst themselves. Meanwhile, the children are misusing the equipment in every way imaginable. One teacher actually instructed the kids to walk on the TOP of an overhead ladder (monkey bars), as if it were to be used as an 8' high balance beam! When I asked why she was doing that, she replied that she thought that was how you used the equipment.

"Now", you ask, "how do we know the correct ways to play on all of the different types of equipment?". Use common sense! If it seems like it might be a hazardous way to be using the equipment, it probably is. Signs are recommended to be on or near the equipment they are warning about.

Equipment Rules

Some basic rules are:

• DON'T - push, kick or pull another child.
  
• DON'T - run within the equipment itself.

Rules on specific pieces of equipment are as follows:

• ALL SWINGS (including tire swings)
  DO hold onto chains with both hands. Sit alone, and look out for others.
  DON'T walk in front of the swing in either direction, you might get hit!
  DON'T stand on the seat, you could fall.
  DON'T jump off or swing empty seats. You or someone else may get hurt!
  
  
• TIRE SWINGS
  DO sit on tire with legs inside.
  DON'T stand or lean back on the seat, you could fall or hit your head on the supports.
  
  
• SLIDES
  DO wait for the person in front of you to move out of the way at the bottom. Sit up straight, feet in front of you ("Bottom down, feet forward").
  DON'T walk up the slide.
  DON'T slide the wrong way, you could get hurt.
  
  
• CLIMBERS
  DO use both hands and feet, and hold tightly! Be careful of others.
  DON'T climb down until you have room or adults can help.
  DON'T jump off the climber, you may land wrong or hit someone.
  
  
• WHIRL
  DO sit or stand inside the whirl. Hold on to rails with both hands! Stand away from the sides of the whirl.
  DON'T lean out the side, you could fall or hit someone.
  DON'T hop onto or off of a spinning whirl, you may get hurt.
  DON'T stand near a whirl.
  
  
• OVERHEAD LADDERS
  DO go hand over hand, one rung at a time in one direction. Wait for others to finish before you go.
  DON'T use it if you cannot reach the first rung.
  DON'T climb or walk above the ladder, you could fall.
  DON'T hang upside down, you could fall.
  DON'T move toward another kid, you could get hit.
  DON'T skip a rung, you might fall.
  
  
• SEE-SAWS
  DO hold on tight! Sit up on your seat, put both feet on the sides. Both users must get off seats at the same time.
  DON'T get on the plank, you might get hurt.
  DON'T let go of the handles or lean way back, you could fall off.
  DON'T jump off the seats or try to hurt the other person.
  
  
• TRACK RIDES
  DO hold onto ring tightly. Make sure the gliding area and landing are clear of people and obstructions. Exit carefully.
  DON'T start when someone is in the way.
  DON'T hang by your legs.
  
  
• PLATFORMS
  DO play nicely and follow the rules.
  DON'T climb up or over walls, beams, or rails. You could fall and get hurt.
  DON'T have too many people on the equipment.
  
  
• FIREPOLES
  DO wait until the pole and ground is clear. Get a good grip on the pole before you leave the platform. One person at a time.
  DON'T go when someone else is at the bottom of the pole.
  DON'T stay near the bottom of the pole.
  
  
• SPRING TOYS
  DO hold on tight with both hands. Keep your feet on the footrests.
  DON'T stand or sit wrong on the toy, you could fall.
  DON'T go near anyone riding the toy.
  DON'T put your fingers or toes in the springs, they could get pinched.
  
  
• TURNING BARS / TURNING RINGS
  DO keep a tight hold on the bar or rings.
  DON'T swing or hang upside down.
  DON'T swing empty bar or rings.
  
  
• BALANCE BEAMS
  DO move carefully along the beam. Keep you eyes on the beam. Go slowly.
  DON'T stand on one foot or on your hands.
  
  
• PARALLEL BARS
  DO hold tight. Move along carefully. Enter one end and exit the other.
  DO make sure you have spotters to catch you.
  DON'T do any fancy acrobatics or gymnastics. You may get hurt.
  
  
• SANDBOX
  DO carefully have fun and make creations! Play nicely.
  DON'T kick or throw sand.
  
  
• LOG ROLLS
  DO hold handrails tight with both hands. Wait your turn.
  DON'T lean back, let go of rails, or go too fast.
  
  
• GLIDERS
  DO sit down together, hold tightly with both hands. Watch out for others.
  DON'T stand on the glider or stand in front of the glider. You may get hit.
  
  

When kids get to a playground, they have a "green light" to go crazy. Just don't let that behavior overflow when they get off the playground, as may be the case when they get on non-playground equipment.

One sign that is supposed to be on all public use equipment says "Warning. Installation over a hard surface such as concrete, asphalt, or packed earth may result in serious injury or death from falls". Look for proper surfacing, and that sign. Surfacing is what our next article will be on. So long, and keep control of those youngsters so they stay out of the emergency room!

Credits

Scott Burton is the President of Safety Play, Inc., and is a Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI). He has designed, manufactured, audited and inspected thousands of different types of areas and equipment. He was a former owner of a Florida company which was responsible for planning, design, writing specifications, purchasing, manufacturing & installation supervision, determining surfacing specifications, and providing worldwide sales of playground equipment.

He is currently involved with the creation of the International Playground Standards, and is a feature author for KidSource OnLine. He can be contacted via:

Scott Burton, President
Safety Play, Inc.
Specialists in Recreational Safety
http://www.mindspring.com/~safetyplay
#295 - 10460 Roosevelt Blvd.
St. Petersburg, Fl., U.S., 33716
(727)-522-0061 (Phone & Fax)