Playing It Safe

Here are some factors from the Consumer Product Safety Commission to consider when determining whether your public playground is safe:

• Does it have at least a foot thick of wood chips, mulch or sand, or rubber mats around the play equipment?

• Are play structures more than 30 inches high and at least 9 feet apart?

• Have dangerous hardware like S hooks and bolt ends been removed?

• Have sharp points or edges on equipment been covered or removed?

• Have tripping hazards such as tree stumps or rocks been removed?

• Do elevated ramps and platforms have guardrails?