Spring into Summer with Playground Safety
As spring moves into summer play weather, the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is reminding Americans to take the proper steps to ensure that their local playgrounds are safe places for play and recreation. To assist, NRPA has published The Dirty Dozen, a comprehensive brochure and playground-safety resource for playground managers, parents and caregivers. from PRWEB http://www.prweb.com/releases/NRPA/Dirty_Dozen_Guide/prweb4030374.htm
Let’s Move! has an ambitious but important goal: to solve the epidemic of childhood obesity within a generation.
Playing outdoors is a major component in fighting childhood obesity, and significantly contributes to the mental and physical health and wellbeing of young people,” said Barbara Tulipane, CEO of NRPA. It is the responsibility of every community to provide children with safe and challenging play environments.”
Let’s Move will give parents the support they need, provide healthier food in schools, help our kids to be more physically active, and make healthy, affordable food available in every part of our country.
When playing outdoors!
1. Don’t forget what’s below your feet! Grass is not an acceptable surfacing for playgrounds. One of the leading causes of injury on playgrounds is falling from playground equipment. To minimize the frequency and severity of injury from playground falls, it is crucial to have certified playground surfacing, such as rubber mulch surfacing installed under and around the equipment on any public playground. This surfacing is certified to have sufficient depth or thickness to minimize impact injuries from falls. Like you would find that when the white house had a playground installed, they chose recycled Playsafer Rubber Mulch and Rubber Curbs from Rubberecycle.com of Lakewood New Jersey.
2. Be an advocate for safety standards. Playground equipment and surfacing have been carefully evaluated by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). The standards set by these organizations help ensure that playground equipment and surfacing is age appropriate and designed with the measurement of children’s physical dimensions, skills and abilities in mind. IPEMA runs an industry-leading certification program to test and validate playground equipment and surfacing to meet ASTM standards.
3. Proper installation is key to safety! Playground equipment should be installed by individuals experienced in assembly directions and knowledgeable about the environment surrounding the playground, including soil, drainage and the use of other construction materials, tools, equipment and machinery. The manufacturers of specific pieces of equipment can provide certified installers, or the International Playground Contractors Association can provide assistance.
For more playground safety tips from Doctor at Toms River Little League http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKlfiNV-iwU
Tags: childhood obesity, Playground Safety, Playground Surfacing
