Safety Checklist: (click here for a printable PDF of the checklist)

The following are potential safety hazards and should be checked to see if any of them have occured in or near your equipment:

• Visible cracks, bending, warping, rusting, or breakage of any component.
• Deformation of open hooks, shackles, rings, links etc.
• Worn swing hangers and chains.
• Missing, damaged, or loose swing seats; heavy seats with sharp edges or corners.
• Footings exposed, cracked, or loose in ground.
• Broken support/anchors.
• Protruding bolt ends that do not have smooth finished caps and covers.
• Accessible sharp edges or points.
• Broken or missing rails, steps, rungs, or seats.
• Chipped or peeling paint.
• Exposed ends of tubing that should be covered by plugs or caps.
• Surfacing material worn or scattered (in landing pits, etc
• Vandalism (broken glass, trash, etc.)
• Worn bearings.especially under swings, slides, etc.
• Pinch or crush point (exposed mechanisms, junctures of moving components, e.g.,)
• Splintered, cracked, or deteriorated wood.
• On hard surfaces, loose bolts, nuts, etc.
• Poor drainage areas.
• Tripping hazards such as roots, rocks, or other environmental obstacles.
• Lack of lubrication on moving parts.

NOTE: Use only commercial parts for commercial applications – not residential.


Articles on Safety:

School Administrators should carefully consider the benefits of outdoor play before eliminating recess from their curriculum. (click here for article)  --National Association for the Education of Young Children

Links

The National SAFE KIDS Campaign, an organization committed to preventing unintentional injury to children across the globe. See a recent article they have provided.