As the snow melts and the puddles dry, your parks and playgrounds will become popular places once again. The League of Minnesota Insurance Trust (LMCIT) has a few tips to help you prepare for the change in seasonal use.
Safety reminders for staff
As your employees begin clean-up duties, remind them to
work safely. Consider the personal protection equipment (PPE) needs of the job.
Certainly, gloves are a must to prevent hand injuries such as cuts or puncture
wounds. High-visibility vests or clothing should also be worn. Talk to your
folks about situational awareness on the job: oncoming vehicles, changes in
walking conditions, etc. It’s also a good time to review your city’s policy on
earbuds and headphones.
Make a list as you go
As employees are out and about cleaning and picking up
trash, have them make a physical list of items that need attention. Using a
Playground Inspection Checklist can assist in documenting your inspection and
can be used by management to create a “to-do” list. High-hazard issues should
be addressed and documented right away.
Focus on landing surfaces
Keep in mind that about 70% of all playground injuries
are a result of ineffective or insufficient soft landing surface materials. The
League of Minnesota Cities has several resources available to help you
determine if your playground meets general safety and ADA standards.
ADA compliance depends on proper surface materials. Acceptable surfaces include poured-in-place rubber, tiles, engineered wood fiber, or hybrid surface systems. More information on these surfaces can be found in the U.S. Access Board’s ADA play surface guidelines (pdf).
LMCIT endorses the use of ADA-compliant materials for playground surfaces. However, we also understand that some playgrounds are still waiting to update for various reasons. In cases where you are relying on other forms of loose fill materials, be sure that substrates are where they belong and have an adequate effective thickness (generally 12”, but this may vary depending on your equipment).
Playground and park safety should be a priority for your staff. Using the suggestions in this article and some basic best practices, you can provide safe and enjoyable recreation to your community. Your League of Minnesota Cities staff can help! Contact your loss control consultant, or call (800) 925-1122 to be connected with the loss control consultant in your area.
Additional resources:
Consumer Product Safety Commission Handbook for Public Playground Safety (pdf)Institute for Human Centered Design ADA Checklist for Existing Facilities (doc)
Safe 2 Play Playground Safety Inspection Checklist (pdf)
League of Minnesota Cities Parks and Recreation Loss Control Guide
Submitted by: Marc Dunker, Loss Control Consultant
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