Schools

What you should know if your playground is on public or private school grounds

More children get hurt on school playgrounds than any other type of playground (NPPS). Children get hurt on the playground at their school more than anywhere else at their school (SchoolNurse.com). Unfortunately this means that school districts are the most likely entities to be sued due to playground injuries (the largest lawsuit I’ve heard of is $10 million in Mead Colorado). Therefore it is imperative that school districts implement and maintain a comprehensive Playground Safety Policy. It’s the best way to minimize the hazards on your playground, provide a level of defense in the case of litigation and extend the life of your play equipment. Not only does a sound Playground Safety Policy provide protection it will save you money.

It’s estimated that poor supervision is a contributing factor in 44% of all playground injuries in the U.S (NPSI). In addition to a Playground Safety Policy school districts should be employing an effective supervision strategy. Having adults on the playground when children are using equipment is not enough. NPPS advocates ABC’s of Supervision. It’s a good start.

4 THINGS YOU SHOULD DO TODAY

• Arrange for a one time comprehensive audit of all your playground facilities
• Begin high frequency inspections and develop a schedule for low frequency inspections
• Make 1 person responsible for playground maintenance and give him/her the resources to execute the plan
• Make playground supervision a priority. NPPS has some excellent resources available.