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PLAYGROUND SAFETY
. If you will be using your playground for anything other
than single family residence, then you should not consider anything
other than commercial equipment.
When shopping for commercial
playground equipment be sure to verify the products you are looking at are true
commercial designs. Condo Associations, Private Schools and Day Cares, Church
and Private Club Facilities, all require commercial products.
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Here are some easy-to-remember indicators that equipment may not
meet commercial
standards.
- Swing set attached to climber unit. Swing sets must be free
standing with their own specific safe fall zone.
- More than 2 swings in a swing bay or mixed swing types in a swing
bay (e.g., Belt swing seat and a tot swing seat).
- A tire swing must be free standing and not attached to any other
structure unless it is part of a free standing multi-bay swing set.
Radial Tires are not acceptable and Solid Plastic Tires specifically
designed for tire swings use are highly recommended.
- Single wall or half tube slides. These do not offer the required
transition zones at the bottom that safely brings the child to a
stop before reaching the end of the slide. Very important when
children slide head first!
- Hardware on a commercial system should be tamper proof and not
easily removable with common household tools. If the system has nuts
and bolts like you can find at a local hardware store it does not
meet current safety guidelines.
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"Anyone that is unaware of
-- or simply ignores -- the current guidelines could run the risk of being
negligent in the event that a child is seriously injured on a piece of
playground equipment and legal action is taken."
Visit
the NATIONAL PROGRAM FOR PLAYGROUND SAFETY WEBSITE @
http://www.uni.edu/playground/report/blank_report.html