This document presents information from a playground safety group project. It includes statistics showing that over 200,000 children per year receive emergency care for playground injuries. The most common injuries are falls, equipment failures, and collisions. There were also 40 deaths associated with playground equipment from 2001-2008. The group visited 4 local parks and rated them on safety, finding that Borchard Park and the Ascension Lutheran playground received the highest ratings while Peach Hill Park had the worst safety issues. The document aims to increase awareness of playground hazards and how to improve safety.

1. Playground Safety Group
Project
Presented by:
Angie Calita
Carol Craig
Jacqueline Levesque
Theresa McAlister

2. Statistics
INJURIES
Between 2001 - 2008, an average of
218,851 preschool and elementary
children received emergency
department care for injuries that
occurred on playground equipment.
Source: CPSC October 29, 2009

3. Of the Incidents Reported
67% involved falls or equipment failure
8% hazards around but not related to the equipment
7% collisions with other children or the equipment
7% entrapments
11% other
Only 29 injury reports between 2001-2008 mentioned a
thermal burn with 4 of the cases requiring hospitalization
Source: CPSC October 29, 2009

4. Thermal Burns
Burn Safety Awareness on Playgrounds
Thermal Burns from Playground
Equipment
http://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/122121/32
00.pdf

5. Mortality




Average age was 6
years; median age
was 4 years.
27 deaths were the
result of hangings or
other asphyxiations
7 deaths were the
result of head or
neck injuries
Source: CPSC
October 29, 2009
Forty Deaths were
associated with
playground equipment
between 2001-2008

6. Top Four Equipment
Pieces Associated
with Injuries





Climbers- 23%
Swings- 22%
Slides-17%
Overhead ladders 9%
Source: CPSC October
29, 2009

7. The National Program for
Playground Safety
California’s
Child Care Grade:
2000
C+
2004
C+
http://playgroundsafety.org/sites/default/files/r
eports/childcare/ca_childcare.pdf

8. Playgrounds Visited for our
Project:


Borchard Park,
Newbury Park
Ascension Lutheran
Early Learning
Center


Tierra Rejada Park,
Moorpark
Peach Hill Park,
Moorpark
Grading 1-5
1 the best, 5 the worst

9. Peach Hill Park
Overall grade: 5
Some of the equipment
is:
 Not age appropriate
 Tunnel tube no grip
 Not enough
protective barriers
 Wobbly chain can get
pinched

10. Peach Hill

11. Peach Hill

12. Peach Hill

13. Peach Hill

14. Peach Hill

15. Peach Hill

16. Peach Hill

17. Peach Hill

18. Peach Hill

19. Tierra Rejada Park
Overall grade: 2
 Climbing structure
open in the middle
 fall zone hazard

Depth of sand may
not be adequate

20. Tierra Rejada

21. Tierra Rejada

22. Tierra Rejada

23. Tierra Rejada

24. Tierra Rejada

25. Tierra Rejada

26. Borchard Park
Overall grade: 1
 Age appropriate
 No fall zone hazards
 Adequate protective
surfacing
 No sharp hazards

27. Borchard Park

28. Borchard Park

29. Borchard Park

30. Borchard Park

31. Borchard Park

32. Borchard Park

33. Borchard Park

34. Borchard Park

35. Borchard Park

36. Borchard Park

37. Borchard Park

38. Borchard Park

39. Borchard Park

40. Borchard Park

41. Ascension Lutheran
Overall grade: 1
 Age appropriate
 No entrapment
hazards
 Protective barriers
and guardrails

42. Ascension Lutheran Early
Learning Center

43. Ascension Lutheran

44. Ascension Lutheran

45. Ascension Lutheran

46. Ascension Lutheran

47. Ascension Lutheran

48. Ascension Lutheran

49. Ascension Lutheran

50. Asencion Lutheran

51. Ascension Lutheran

52. FIN