DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC PLAYGROUND SAFETY PROGRAM

By Ken Kutska
Superintendent of Parks and Planning
Wheaton Park District

Much has been said and written on the issue of public playground safety. The bottom line is that no one wants any user to experience any accident, especially one which results in a fatality or a permanently debilitating injury.

It is the continued effort and commitment of the park and recreation profession and the playground equipment manufacturing industry to eliminate playground area hazards while not totally eliminating the element of risk which is an integral part of a child's play environment and learning experience.

There is a major difference between hazard and risk. Hazard is a danger which cannot be foreseen. Risk involves choice including a level of risk in relation to the age of the user. For example, a child between 5 and 12 using the playground is at risk and may fall while running on a hard paved surface. He or she could suffer injury to some extent, (skinned knees or a bump to the head.) The child in almost every case would be willing to accept this risk of injury, and would continue to run on hard surfaces as part of his or her everyday existence. The same is true for adults who drive cars every day, knowing that more people are killed as a result of automobile accidents than of any other type of accident.

We all assume a certain level of risk in everything we do. It is an ongoing challenge to continually evaluate our environment and to make reasonable modifications to protect us from our own actions.

If one subscribes to this train of thought, it is easy to see how the 1979 Consumer Product Safety Commission's guidelines for public playground safety have evolved into the present move by American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) to develop voluntary standards for public playground safety. It seems to be just a matter of time before the voluntary standards will evolve into mandatory standards. During the evolution process and given today's societal attitude towards public liability responsibilities, it is reasonable to expect that there would always be the threat of a legal challenge to determine a public agency's responsibility to comply with industry guidelines or standards, and to provide due care.

In order to create a safe play environment for our children, and to provide as much protection as possible for the agency's defense of this inevitable legal challenge, it has become necessary to consider and to adopt some form of a comprehensive public playground safety program. The following is a compilation of various components of the public playground safety issue which might be incorporated into an agency's playground safety program.

The first item on the agenda should be establish a written Public Playground Safety Policy.

SAMPLE PLAYGROUND SAFETY POLICY

Wheaton Park District Public Playground Safety Policy

In the continued effort by the Wheaton Park District to provide quality, well maintained, clean, and safe parks and facilities for the public the District has developed the following standard operating procedure to protect and preserve its unsupervised public playground facilities and its users. This program may only be accomplished through a commitment to a Public Playground Safety Program which assures that every attempt will be made to eliminate playground hazards while not totally eliminating the element of risk, that is an essential part of any successful play and learning environment.

To guarantee the continued success of this program the following guidelines must be adhered to:

A. All equipment shall be purchased from a reputable playground equipment manufacturer with adequate product liability insurance.

B. All equipment shall be installed according to manufacturer specifications.

C. All play equipment shall be inspected, repaired and maintained by district employees on a regular basis.

D. All district playground equipment purchasers, installers, inspectors and maintenance employees performing repairs shall be trained in accordance with the district's Public Playground Safety Training Program.

E. The Wheaton Park District shall provide reasonable resources to insure prudent and timely inspections and repairs as determined necessary by the District's professional staff.

F. Additional attachments to this Public Playground Safety Policy include:

1. Site inspection frequency statement and rationale

2. Public Playground Safety Inspection Form with instructions

3. Job description and position requirements for play area planners, inspector, installer and repairer

4. Procedures for corrective action:

a. immediate repair
b. equipment removal
c. work order

d. phone complaints
e. annual budgetary consideration

5. Staff training guides:

a. training video
b. hands-on training
c. follow-up testing
d. supervisor follow-up of inspections to assure inspection consistency

6. Guidelines for storage of documents including location and supervisor's responsibility for maintenance of all documents.

List of documents to be stored:

1. Copy of the Wheaton Park District's "Public Playground Safety Program" including copies of all industry public playground safety guidelines or standards

2. Copies of all staff training records including:

a. training video
b. employee test results
c. written information used in training

3. All individual playground area histories by site including:

a. site plans
b. copy of bid specifications
c. copy of purchase order or voucher for play equipment
d. manufacturer's product liability insurance certificate
e. manufacturer's installation instructions
f. manufacturer's part list
g. correspondence from manufacturer
h. initial playground area safety audits
i. all dated and signed Public Safety Inspection Checklists performed including recommendations made and remedial action taken

Once the policy statement is in its final form, it is most important in the development of a successful Comprehensive Playground Safety Program that consistency be maintained, and follow through made on every aspect of the program, including:

1. A written Public Playground Policy to which the agency is committed from the Board level on down

2. Development of a written staff training program including proper storage of records

3. Development of a regularly scheduled inspection frequency with evaluation of each site individually

4. Initial performance of a comprehensive playground area safety audit for each playground site to evaluate each area's compliance with current

Sample Signage PUBLIC PLAYGROUND SAFETY GUIDELINES Welcome. For your play enjoyment, please obey the following or you may cause injury to yourself or others around you. No pets allowed. No bicycles, roller skates or skateboard use within play area. Inspect area before starting to play and remove litter. Children 5 and under should be accompanied by an adult. CAUTION: Bare feet may cause injury. CAUTION: Throwing sand or any other objects within play area may cause injury. CAUTION: Playing on this equipment when wet may cause injury. SWINGS Hold on with both hands. Never swing or twist empty seats. Standing on swings can cause injury. Stand clear of moving swing to avoid contact and possible injury. Stop swinging before getting off. SLIDES Slide feet first only. No running or walking up slide. CLIMBERS No pushing, running or shoving. Play safely and be courteous of others. If you notice broken equipment or anything that requires immediate attention, call 665-4710. We appreciate your cooperation. THE WHEATON PARK DISTRICT ($500.00 FINE FOR DAMAGING OR DEFACING PUBLIC PROPERTY)

industry safety guidelines

5. A complete playground area history of each site including:

a. purchase orders and/or voucher copies (dates)
b. copy of specifications
c. copy of manufacturer's project liability insurance certificate
d. copy of site plan
e. manufacturer's installation instructions
f. complete manufacturer's parts list
g. manufacturer's correspondence pertaining to the sites equipment
h. all playground safety inspections made including work orders and phone complaints, and highlighted by all remedial actions taken

6. Documentation which insures the success of the program through the test of time coupled with proper safe storage of all records

Signage and user education is another aspect of the public playground safety dilemma, and there is need for more study of their effectiveness and a determination of where the responsibility lies in this area. ( an example of signage utilized by the Wheaton Park District is presented on the following page.)

There are many other items which could be included, but this is a good checklist to start in building an agency's Public Playground Safety Program. The risk management concept is not an original idea. It is a compilation of personal and professional experiences on the subject over several years, including involvement by the Park and Natural Resource Management Section of the Illinois Park and Recreation Association in a long range project to develop a Public Playground Safety Manual.

Special appreciation is extended to Ken Schneider, Safety Manager, Hamilton County Park District, Cincinnati, Ohio, who shared his county's Playground Safety Program including inspection checklists and training video. Ken's information was the example needed to tie together this total concept of a "Comprehensive Public Playground Safety Program."

For more information contact Ken Kutska, Wheaton Park District, 666 South Main, Wheaton, Illinois 60187. (708) 665-4710. Copies of the manual are $35 + $5 shipping and handling.