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• jkParks <br /> l, & Recreation <br /> Safety <br /> Concerns <br /> Plague <br /> Parks <br /> Park officials are experimenting with different playground surfaces, I <br /> vandal-resistant equipment and neighborhood-watch programs to <br /> make recreation areas safer. <br /> By John D. Buchholz <br /> • employees. According to <br /> veryE two minutes, BetsyBaker, commis- <br /> ' <br /> iii <br /> a child in the ' Ill sinner of parks and recre- <br /> ation, <br /> United States is f\i. ation, the inspections in- <br /> tohospitalized due • ' <br /> \ elude grounds, bridges, <br /> an injury sustained onWS ' <br /> plantings and erosion. <br /> a city or county play- WIBaker says a good report- <br /> ground. According to the ing system and regular <br /> U.S. Consumer Product safety checks are the best <br /> Safety Commission ,.: •,_-_ ,, ,: -'• t •u" 'A-Y-1' defense against unsafe <br /> (CPSC), serious injuries -"" - _ '� <br /> �.: -'----- <br /> are occurring at a rate of ;' " ,i' equipment. <br /> According to Tera <br /> 200,000 per year, costing . A ', �'" Rogers, compliance offi <br /> millions of dollars in in- _ " ' - 4,, cer with CPSC, choosint <br /> • <br /> / Yl� <br /> surance claims. .' - a playground surface <br /> • q <br /> The CPSC says at least 4,, w often depends on loca <br /> 70 percent of all play .k tion. "Although sand wil <br /> ground injuries result break a fall by reducin; <br /> from falls. Some injuries, ,�' • the impact, sand needs constant main <br /> not immediately ap- /�f,-' tenance," she says. "But for som, <br /> parent, manifest them j4 areas, sand is the easiest and least e> <br /> selves in post-traumawepi-years later. pensive material to get. Do not use at <br /> le sy <br /> Th up to twoe CPSC conducted a hazard anal- phaltor concrete as a playground s <br /> Th <br /> ysis on child safety at playgrounds dur- ground safety does not depend only on face," she advises. <br /> ing the mid-1970s. After its initial stud- purchasing equipment," she says, "but All new playgrounds in Los Angelt <br /> ies generated an extensive list of safety how it is installed, maintained and the are built on sand. "Our maintenan( <br /> problems,the CPSC contracted with the quality of the surface under it. Parks crews continually replace and rake san <br /> National Bureau of Standards to test use whatever surfaces are easily avail- to ensure proper depth," says Jo <br /> playground surfaces and equipment to able. Parental supervision also comes Breitbard,assistant general manager f( <br /> • develop playground safety require into play, which is difficult to regu- planning <br /> Losand <br /> development. <br /> Angeles, from . <br /> menu. late." <br /> According to Elaine Tyrrell, project Determining whether or not a park is city departments attended a weeker <br /> manager of the child and recreational safe can be difficult. An initial step is brainstorming session to Tans for cit.) <br /> products program for CSPC, research evaluating park equipment and sur- dards <br /> raand <br /> dsevelope plans <br /> f o the our <br /> proved there were other factors that faces. In Atlanta, elaborate safety in- play8 reducingpla <br /> could not be controlled with mandatory spections, based on playground law- ground equipment by <br /> tl <br /> playground construction rules. "Play- suits, are carried out routinely by park number of individual play pieces at <br /> American City & County/February 19 <br />