Published on DNA
Date: 15/03/2011 – Page 2
By Pierre Yves Renoir
It’s something you take for granted – the neighborhood playground or even the one is apartment complex. It can’t really be all that bad can it? There are after all so many children playing on it and other than a few cuts and bruises there really hasn’t been anything to worry about. Well fact is, if you take the time out to look at the play area yourself, you will see that is in fact a lot to worry about. The safety of your children is quite questionable on the play units that are around today.
Most countries internationally have a stipulated stringent set of rules by which companies have to adhere to when it come to manufacturing play units, installing them and maintaining them. But in India, there are no safety rules and regulations. What you see on the play area is what you get.
Step onto the play area for a little recce of your own and take a closer look at the material the play units are made of slides, swing seats and seesaws are often made of fiber glass. After a while of being used, the smooth surface of fiber glass tends to wither away living behind a rough surface. Left unattended for a long time, it can end up in creating friction burns or even cuts on your child, Some of these play items are made of metal. Most evenings, children trend to rush to these play units without a second thought to the fact that they have been smoldering in the sun the entire day.
The surface of such metal based units heat to such to an extent, there have cases of children being burnt. There are also cases, largely in public playgrounds, where sliding board surfaces are made of stone. After a while, the stone begins to chip in places and you have dangerous holes and rough edges which the children go down on unknowingly.
Molded plastic is best material to use in play units and can combat all of the issues raised by other materials. It is virgin plastic that is of high quality. It is completely weather-proof and durable under the worst onslaught of wheather as well as children. Engineered together in the right manner, this material makes for some of the most aesthetic as well as safe play units.
Another aspects of playgrounds is the manufacturer’s desire to install as many units as possible to take the most of his contract. Spacing is very important in playgrounds, seesaws have to be positioned a minimum of 9ft away from swings and other units. A single swing bay should not have more than two swings for balance as well as safety. And more importantly, play units and areas have to be segregated based on age group. This ensures that underage children don’t end in areas where should not be and inadvertently get hurt.
Elevated surfaces are the main highlight of any play unit. Children enjoy climbing up to the top of a slide. A good play unit will have maximum height of 5ft for pre-schoolers and 7ft for school going children. Also, the need to have guard rails right around them. Additionally these guards rails need to be vertical in order to prevent the adventurous ones from climbing higher.
Besides these aspects here are some points for you to keep in mind.
Don’t dress children in clothes that have draw strings, these can get caught in play units.
Make sure all cycles, books, skates and other paraphernalia are kept far away from the play area.
Play areas need to be securely fenced to prevent children from wandering away. Avoid anything that dangles like long earrings, chains, bracelets or belts. These can get caught on play units.
Better safe than sorry is a clichéd adage that means more than anything in cases where your child’s safety is at stake.
(The author is the InternationalnDirector, France, Koochie Play Systems, an international playground equipment design and manufacturing company)