PLAYGROUND SAFETY

In South Carolina’s Public Schools

A study by the South Carolina School Boards Insurance Trust

The South Carolina School Boards Insurance Trust (SCSBIT) is committed to providing risk management services for its member school districts to eliminate / minimize risk. Playground Safety Audits are a priority and one of our most requested services. In fact, 11 percent of all General Liability claims received by SCSBIT are playground related. At no charge to member districts, Playground Safety Audits may be requested and subsequently conducted by two staff members who are currently Certified Playground Safety Inspectors. The inspectors, using the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s guidelines and the American Society of Testing and Material’s guidelines, will schedule an onsite visit and provide the school district with a detailed report to include recommendations and photos.

SCSBIT’s Risk Control Department recommends initially having a comprehensive safety audit and then following up with monthly inspections by the school district’s maintenance department. Although guidelines are currently voluntary, attorneys, parents, and the media are aware of these guidelines and they will hold the school district accountable for knowing the guidelines as well. We are seeing more claims, and spending more for claims because the school districts cannot say, “I didn’t know” anymore. In fact, in November of 2002, the SC Court of Appeals decided that the trial court’s exclusion of the CPSC guidelines and ASTM standards evidence was reversible error, thereby, allowing these guidelines and standards in establishing the standard of care in a negligence case. But with the claims aspect aside, we need to keep our children safe at play. If we don’t make every effort to keep our playgrounds safe and one child becomes injured, then we have neglected our obligation to that child, the parents, the school, and the community.

During 1999, the SCSBIT Risk Control Department conducted 70 comprehensive playground safety audits. These audits were held at the request of member school districts in an attempt to identify potential concerns and to educate the school districts on compliance with the guidelines. For this report, we focused on the hazards that cause the most serious playground injuries, and found the following:

  • In 1999, 100% of the 70 playgrounds surveyed lacked adequate protective surfacing. Protective surfacing is the most critical safety factor on playgrounds because approximately 75% of all injuries are caused by falls.
  • In 1999, 58% of slides, swings, and/or climbing equipment surveyed did not have an adequate fall zone under and around the play equipment. Other equipment and obstacles in the fall zone pose hazards where a child might fall.
  • In 1999, 70% of playgrounds had climbers and slides where the height of the play equipment is greater than 6 feet high, which is higher than necessary for play value and only serves to increase the risk of injury. This also played an important part in the percentage of playgrounds without adequate surfacing material. The higher the equipment, the more surfacing material needed.
  • In 1999, 28% of playgrounds with swings had swing seats that are made of wood, metal, or other rigid material and have protrusions, which increases the severity of injury if impact occurs.
  • In 1999, 18% of playgrounds with swings had some swings that were either too close together or too close to swing supports, which increases the risk that a child could be hit by a moving swing.
  • In 1999, 43% of playgrounds, improperly sized openings in the play equipment posed a head entrapment hazard that may lead to strangulation.
  • In 1999, in 45% of playgrounds, small gaps, open S-hooks and other protrusions posed clothing entanglement hazards, in particular drawstrings on clothing. The open S-hooks could contribute to the failure of the equipment.
  • In 1999, 19% of playgrounds had unacceptable dangerous equipment, such as exercise rings, moon climbers, trapeze bars, A-frame metal climbers, or individual climbing ropes.
  • In 1999, 60% of all playgrounds had equipment with some type or protrusion or weathered and damaged equipment. The protrusions have been known to cause lacerations and puncture wounds. A lot of wood equipment was found to have loose splinters and sharp edges.

If you are a Property & Casualty member district and are interested in making your playgrounds safe, please contact Heather Kinard to schedulea comprehensive playground safety audit at 803-799-6607.