Playground Hazards

Children all love playgrounds with the numerous activities available. They are a great source of entertainment and activity for young children. In a population that is suffering from obesity at younger and younger ages, a playground is a great way to get children moving. This does not mean that all playgrounds are good though. Many playgrounds found across Pennsylvania are unsafe.

One of the biggest hazards of a playground is the material located underfoot. Rocks, grass, gravel, cement, brick, and stone are all unsafe materials to have located on playgrounds. These all have some degree of durability to them, which is good for longevity of the playground, but makes them hazardous to the health of children in the event that they fall or trip. Not one of these surfaces lessens impact when a child falls and many, in fact, make things worse. A safe playground will have rubber or wood chips on the ground under playground equipment. These materials provide a much softer and safer landing.

Another playground hazard is the lack of a fall zone. The fall zone is the cleared area around any piece of playground equipment that provides a child a safe landing. Any piece of playground equipment should have a zone of at least six feet on all sides to prevent injuries. The fall zone should have soft ground material as well. Without this fall zone, a child is likely to make impact with whatever is close to the playground equipment and may be injured as a result.

The greatest hazard on any playground is poor maintenance. With the changing of each season, someone who is qualified needs to inspect the entire playground from top to bottom to ensure that no maintenance needs to be performed or that maintenance that does need to be done is recognized and carried out in the proper manner.

Contact a Harrisburg Playground Injury Lawyer

If your child has been seriously injured due to an unsafe playground, you may be eligible to receive compensation to cover your losses. Contact the Harrisburg personal injury lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams today at 610-667-7511 to schedule a free consultation.