A home playground safety checklist is available at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Information Center to assist Colorado parents in making certain their home playgrounds are safe places for their children to play.
The checklist is being provided in observance of National Playground Safety Week, which is being observed from April 22-26. A copy can be obtained by calling (303)-692-2035 or 1-800-886-7689.
Included in the checklist are 10 tips for parents and community groups to consider when setting up home play sets or designing public playgrounds.
Each year, more than 200,000 children end up at U.S. hospital emergency rooms with injuries associated with playground equipment.
Barb Bailey, an injury prevention specialist at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, said most injuries occur when a child falls from the equipment onto the ground.
"Many backyard play sets are placed on dirt or grass—surfaces that do not adequately protect children when they fall. Safer surfaces include sand, gravel or surface mats made of safety-tested rubber or rubber-like material," she said.
For more information about playground safety, call Bailey at (303) 692-2589. An electronic version of safety checklist can be downloaded from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s web site at www.cpsc.gov
