Playground Safety
- Feb 24, 2020
- 0 Comments
The Surfacing Of A Playground
A playground is an essential place for the children as well as the family to relax and have fun. This makes it necessary to be safe for everyone. Its surface is the most commonly used area for the children to run, jump, land from a slide or monkey bar, swing, etc., because of which it has to be soft enough to prevent any injury.
The play area should be spacious enough for the children to roam around and must never be congested with a lot of play types of equipment. It should have a border to prevent the children from moving away from the play area. Now, considering the safety of surfacing, it needs to be made of the material that is not only attractive and affordable but also safe and has low maintenance. One good idea is to opt for the color-enhanced mulches which won't lose the color quickly. You can use shredded rubber that is quite springy, prevents weed growth, and has low maintenance. When used for a more extended period, it becomes dirty. There are rubber tiles that drain quickly and doesn't slip but comparatively expensive.
The play sand is another affordable option that absorbs falls, but it must not be shallow. The main issue with this is that is gets shifted frequently because of which it needs to be replenished, and thus they have reasonably high maintenance. Also, it must not have any harmful material while purchasing.
The next option is the wood chips used as mulch which don't have any choking hazards but can cause broken glasses and splinters to hide, which can lead to injury. Since these are affordable, one can consider using them by ensuring that there are no dyes or chemicals used in them
Playground Safety Tips
Playground safety is the primary thing that needs to be kept in mind while designing it, as this is the place where children spend the most beautiful phase of their life. Even adults accompany children and spend quality time in the area. An ideal playground must-have equipment for all age groups as per their size, developmental levels as well as capability, so that they do not get hurt by using those who are meant for children of a different age group.
The surface area of the playground has to be made up of cushioning material to prevent them from getting hurt if they accidentally fall. Rubber mulch of 12-inch thickness is the best option for this, though the wood chips, sand, pea gravel can also be considered.
The height of the platforms has to be more than 30 inches above the grounds and must have barriers or guardrails for protection, with a distance of at least 9 feet between each other. The space between vertical and horizontal gaps would be more than 9 inches apart or less than 3 inches apart to prevent trapping of the child's' head as well as preventing him from falling. There should not be any sharp-pointed edges in the equipment. The defective parts have to be removed or replaced. Enough shading is needed to prevent sunburns in the summer. Regular inspection of the playground is the final and vital step to make sure that it is a safe place for the children.
A playground is an essential place for the children as well as the family to relax and have fun. This makes it necessary to be safe for everyone. Its surface is the most commonly used area for the children to run, jump, land from a slide or monkey bar, swing, etc., because of which it has to be soft enough to prevent any injury.
The play area should be spacious enough for the children to roam around and must never be congested with a lot of play types of equipment. It should have a border to prevent the children from moving away from the play area. Now, considering the safety of surfacing, it needs to be made of the material that is not only attractive and affordable but also safe and has low maintenance. One good idea is to opt for the color-enhanced mulches which won't lose the color quickly. You can use shredded rubber that is quite springy, prevents weed growth, and has low maintenance. When used for a more extended period, it becomes dirty. There are rubber tiles that drain quickly and doesn't slip but comparatively expensive.
The play sand is another affordable option that absorbs falls, but it must not be shallow. The main issue with this is that is gets shifted frequently because of which it needs to be replenished, and thus they have reasonably high maintenance. Also, it must not have any harmful material while purchasing.
The next option is the wood chips used as mulch which don't have any choking hazards but can cause broken glasses and splinters to hide, which can lead to injury. Since these are affordable, one can consider using them by ensuring that there are no dyes or chemicals used in them
Playground Safety Tips
Playground safety is the primary thing that needs to be kept in mind while designing it, as this is the place where children spend the most beautiful phase of their life. Even adults accompany children and spend quality time in the area. An ideal playground must-have equipment for all age groups as per their size, developmental levels as well as capability, so that they do not get hurt by using those who are meant for children of a different age group.
The surface area of the playground has to be made up of cushioning material to prevent them from getting hurt if they accidentally fall. Rubber mulch of 12-inch thickness is the best option for this, though the wood chips, sand, pea gravel can also be considered.
The height of the platforms has to be more than 30 inches above the grounds and must have barriers or guardrails for protection, with a distance of at least 9 feet between each other. The space between vertical and horizontal gaps would be more than 9 inches apart or less than 3 inches apart to prevent trapping of the child's' head as well as preventing him from falling. There should not be any sharp-pointed edges in the equipment. The defective parts have to be removed or replaced. Enough shading is needed to prevent sunburns in the summer. Regular inspection of the playground is the final and vital step to make sure that it is a safe place for the children.
