Home playground equipment safety checklist
The U.S. CPSC(Consumer Product Safety Commission) offers some quick tips for home playground equipment safe (at least as much as possible):
Do not attach ropes, clotheslines or pet leashes to play equipment. Children can strangle on these. Also, be careful of clothing that has "rope" on it like hooded sweatshirts.
Look at your hardware and make sure their are no sharp edges or protruding bolts like open S-Hooks on swings or other attached playground equipment, this can be hazardous and cause lacerations or the like; Check for sharp points or edges.
Check for openings that could trap kids, such as spaces in railings or between ladder steps and rungs. You should measure these openings as less than 3.5 inches or more than 9 inches. You don't want a child's feet to go through and head get stuck.
Check to verify that platforms, ramps, and stairs have guardrails.
Install and maintain a shock-absorbing playground safety surface around the playground equipment. Ask specifically for playground wood fiber when buying "wood chips" or "mulch". Traditional landscaping mulch is not safe for kids becuase of decomposition and contamenants. Also, look into playground rubber mulch as a long term solution.
Remove tripping hazards, such as exposed concrete footings, tree stumps and rocks
These are just the basics on playground equipment safety, but a good start for homeowners!
Based on guidelines from the cpsc.gov and online.
