Park and Playground Risk Management

A risk is an event or condition that, if it occurs, could have a positive or negative effect on a playgrounds operation and safety.  Risk Management is the process of identifying, assessing, responding to, monitoring, and reporting risks. Developing an effective Risk Management Plan can help keep small issues from developing into dangerous situations. Having a plan may help you deal with adverse situations when they arise and, hopefully, head them off before they arise. A Risk Management Plan should include the Initial Safety Audit, The designer or manufacturer of each play structure instructions maintenance, and repair information; including, but not limited to, what, when, and how to inspect, maintain, and repair.

The current ASTM F1487 – F1292 and the CPSC Handbook for Public Playground Safety.

In recent years, it is estimated that there were more than 200,000 injuries annually on public playgrounds across the country that required emergency room treatment. By following the recommended guidelines in this handbook, you and your community can create a safer playground environment for all children and contribute to the reduction of playground-related deaths and injuries.

The U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has long recognized the potential hazards that exist with the use of playground equipment, with over 200,000 estimated emergency room-treated injuries annually. The most recent study of 2,691 playground equipment-related incidents reported to the CPSC from 2001-2008 indicated that falls are the most common hazard pattern (44% of injuries) followed by equipment-related hazards, such as breakage, tip over, design, and assembly (23%). 1 Other hazard patterns involved entrapment and colliding other children or stationary equipment. Playground-related deaths reported to the Commission involved entanglement of ropes, leashes, or clothing; falls; and impact from equipment tip over or structural failure.