Playgrounds can be a great option for parents with small children. They can be a fun outdoor play area where children can get exercise and fresh air while learning basic social skills. While millions of children use playgrounds without incident, unfortunately some poorly maintained playgrounds can be a hazard for your child and do lead to head injuries, facial injuries, and other serious injury in Tamarac and other Florida communities.
According to the National Program For Playground Safety, next week is National Playground Safety Week. The organization reports that 200 000 children across the country get injured on playgrounds each year. However, there are several ways that you can keep your child safe or on the playground this year:
1) Always supervise children at the playground.
The best way to prevent injuries on the playground is to make sure that your children have adult support and supervision. Younger children may need more supervision and help, even with simple play. Older children, though, should still be closely supervised, especially on public playgrounds
2) Do a careful sweep of the playground before allowing your child to play.
Check for any obviously unsafe playground equipment or conditions. If there are hard surfaces under slides, monkey bars, and other equipment were children may fall, do not let your child play there. Similarly, check for broken equipment, loose parts on playground equipment, and any debris or dangerous items in the sand. Make sure that there is a soft surface against any equipment where your child will be climbing. In Tamarac and Florida, playground equipment can get hot enough to cause injury. Check to make sure that metal rungs or slides are not hot to the touch.
3) Report playground equipment that may be unsafe, damaged, or poorly maintained.
Report potential hazards at once to the city or to the private organization responsible for the playground. Your child deserves a safe place so you will want to follow up with your initial concerns until changes are made.
4) Make sure your child is wearing appropriate clothing.
Sensible shoes and clothing can allow for full mobility so that your child can climb and play safely. Never allow your child to play on equipment if they are wearing bicycle helmets or drawstrings on their clothes; both can cause a strangulation hazard.
Has your child been injured while playing on a playground? Under Florida law, you may have a legal claim that allows you to seek compensation for your child if someone was negligent in providing a safe play area. You can pursue the property owner in a Tamarac personal injury claim. To find out more, contact Flaxman Law Group for a free case consultation. Our team of legal staff and South Florida personal injury lawyers would be happy to discuss your potential legal options.