After hours spent in the classroom hard at work on lessons, most kids look forward to two things: lunch and recess. No matter the order of those activities, they are a great reward—and respite—from studying reading, writing, arithmetic, and all the other topics meant to turn our children into well-rounded adults. Along with that though, we expect playground equipment and surrounding areas to be much safer today.

If you are a concerned parent and want to make sure all precautions are taken while your kids are out playing, watch for these five issues regarding safety on the playground:

• Sharp or rusting edges – while the towering steel structures and treacherous monkey bars we saw decades ago have been removed in most areas, nature still takes a toll on even more modern playground equipment. Report any sharp edges or pieces of hardware that are starting to rust.
• Areas where a child’s head could become trapped – this could cause severe injury, and especially to a younger child who may not have the problem solving or motor skills to pull themselves free right away.
• Issues in landscaping – children should be able to run freely without running into obstacles like sprinklers, stumps, or other unexpected protrusions that could trip them up and cause serious injury due to a fall.
• Ground cover – while some playgrounds may still boast a more natural setting, many today offer a spongy surface, sand, wood chips, or more. Children should not be in danger of injury when contacting the surface, and according to the National Safety Council, any ground covering on the playground should be at least a foot deep so that kids aren’t falling onto hard pavement in some areas.
• Toxic materials – Playgrounds and surrounding areas such as grass and shrubs should not be treated with poisonous chemicals. Wooden equipment should no longer be treated with Chromated Copper Arsenate either. If you suspect that children may be exposed to any sort of toxins or poisonous landscaping chemicals, report your concerns immediately.

If your child is in a school setting, there should be an appropriate number of teachers assigned to playground duty. Many accidents could be prevented with better monitoring, as well as maintenance. Falls are the leading cause of injury, however, causing broken bones, lacerations, concussions, and traumatic brain injuries. If the playground is at a more private setting outside of school, make sure children are always being supervised.

Has your child been hurt on the playground due to negligence? At Heintz & Becker, our board-certified civil trial lawyers have decades of experience handling child injury cases. We know the steps that need to be taken to get all the compensation your child needs. Call us for a free consultation now at 941-748-2916 or contact us online. We are here to help!

All blogs are written on behalf of Heintz & Becker for informational purposes. These articles should not, however, be considered legal advice, or in any way responsible for creating an attorney/client relationship.