5 Playground Safety Tips Every School and Community Should Know Before Installation

Setting up a playground in a school or community can be an incredibly exciting endeavor. You’re giving local kids a place to exercise, enjoy themselves, and form lifelong bonds with new friends. You’re also offering parents a space to unwind, socialize, and even work in some exercise, depending on the equipment offered. There’s no question that developing a playground is a chance to really liven up a park, school, or other shared space.

Unfortunately, playground installation is also a risky endeavor, though it can be upsetting to think of it as such. You have to think about the risk of trips, falls, cuts, scratches, pinches, and even strangulation and entrapment injuries. Playgrounds absolutely must be designed with the utmost of care and consideration in order to keep children safe. Here are some of the most important factors to consider as you begin the playground installation process.

1. Choose a Reputable Provider

One of the greatest dangers from playgrounds comes from choosing unsafe or poorly-tested equipment and materials. In some cases, playgrounds made from alternative materials (like trees, rocks, and other natural resources) fall into this category. Other times, buyers choose less reputable companies in order to lower their costs. While this can save money in the short term, it can create long term expenses and even significant safety risks.

That’s why it’s important to choose playground equipment that’s made and sold by reputable providers. These manufacturers and suppliers understand that playground components need to be made according to rigorous safety standards. Every apparatus needs to mitigate the risks of trips, slips, falls, and more. That means no sharp edges, loose parts, or shoddy materials likely to break down over time. Before you buy, do your research so you know what you’re getting.

2. Follow All Appropriate Guidelines

Sometimes, you don’t need to do the research on your own — state, local, or federal guidelines might dictate which manufacturers you can work with. They may also provide a list of rules and regulations that you’re required to follow when you install your playground. Even if you don’t have to follow any safety regulations, it’s always best to design in accordance with recommendations anyway. 

As you design, consider CPSC, ASTM, and any local regulatory authorities that might be relevant. Consult with local officials if you’re not sure which standards you need to meet in order to achieve compliance or ensure safety. Guidelines usually include rules about protective surfaces, sharp or protruding edges, entrapment risks, and spacing between components. They will also usually include rules that help you adhere to any accessibility or inclusivity laws.

3. Work with Inspectors

Depending on your location or the facility where you’re installing your playground, you may or may not need to involve inspectors in installation. However, whether or not it’s actually a requirement, you should have inspectors review your equipment and installation plans. A Certified Playground Safety Inspector or other official can audit your equipment and design for hidden risks. 

An inspector can review your design for a number of different safety risks, as well as ensure the playground is ADA compliant. They can measure heights, test surfaces, check for the appropriate signage, and identify potential issues. They can also make recommendations on how to resolve issues and plan future strategies for maintenance. They’re likely to spot anything you’ve overlooked that could inadvertently cause issues.

4. Stay Compliant and Perform Regular Maintenance

Once your playground is installed, you definitely can’t just set it up and forget it. You’ll still need to undergo regular inspections in order to ensure safety. You’ll also need to perform scheduled preventative maintenance, and reactive or emergency maintenance if an issue arises. Typically, when you purchase your equipment, it will come with a maintenance schedule from the manufacturer. This will tell you when and what to repair, depending on use, weather, etc.

Always work with licensed professional maintenance and repair professionals in accordance with local laws and guidelines. Be sure to keep a log of who repaired or replaced what, and when, for liability, compliance, and insurance reasons. If a component needs repair for any reason, take it out of service immediately. If the component cannot be removed, block all access to it, and make sure it is clearly marked with all appropriate or required signage.

5. Don’t Forget Hidden Dangers

Just because a playground meets all the pertinent requirements doesn’t necessarily mean it’s safe from other potential threats unrelated to equipment. A number of other factors can impact playground safety even if your design is flawless. For example, playground safety often depends on the age of children using the equipment. A playground designed for older children often shouldn’t be used by younger ones, and vice versa, because of differences in weight and size.

It’s also important to think about the location of the playground relative to what’s around it. For example, if there’s a busy street or parking lot nearby, consider additional fencing — or an entirely different location. If the neighborhood isn’t great, or there’s a hospital or rehabilitation facility nearby, you may need additional safety measures. Consider locks, additional lighting, cameras, and/or extra supervision to keep unwanted adults, gang activity, and drug use out.

A Safe Haven for the Neighborhood

At the end of the day, no playground will ever be perfectly safe from inherent risks. No amount of safety planning can prevent the odd head bump, twisted ankle, bruised elbow, or swollen lip. It’s also impossible to fully prevent ambient risks like sunburns, dehydration, allergic reactions, and other things that just happen to kids. The best thing you can do is plan to prevent the worst, post helpful signage, and impress upon parents the importance of supervision and safe play.