Playgrounds are a place where childhood memories are made, and Ruth to the Rescue wants to ensure they're happy memories by offering some playground safety tips.
Each year more than 200,000 children go to the emergency room due to accidents on the playground. Among, the most common injuries kids suffer from are fractures, concussions and dislocations.
Former chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Nancy Steorts says, "Parents cannot just send their kids to a park and expect them to be safe." Injuryfree.org says 75% of non-fatal injuries, connected to playground equipment happen on public playgrounds.
Ruth to the Rescue came up with a simple safety checklist that should help you enjoy the playground and skip the emergency room.
Playground Safety Checklist
The first thing to notice is the playground's surface.
Mulch or woodchips are common but need to be deep enough to absorb falls. The ground cover is supposed to have between 6 to 9 inches of mulch, according to Steorts.
Another common playground surface is a soft rubber matting, which appeals to Steve Lovett, a grandfather from Howell. He says, "Well I like the softer material they're using these days as I watch one of my grandchildren tumble, and he comes bouncing and happy."
Falls account for 70 percent of playground accidents, with climbers, swings and slides being the top culprits. Most slides offer side railings to prevent children from falling, but parents should make sure those railings are securely anchored.
Parents we met share some of their own safety tips too.
Jessica Syring says, "Glass is a big thing. No glass, nothing laying on the grounds that the kids could stick in their mouths."
Karen Trego says, "Make sure its not, nothing broken or rusted."
Cherisse Santos says, "Definitely want to look for an extra debris and check the temperature of the sliders and things like that to make sure they're not so hot where they get burned."
Something to think about before even leaving the house is what your child is wearing, it could be a life saving safety check.
"Strangulation has been a big issue on playgrounds because a lot of times kid's clothing will get caught as they're recreating on the playground," according to Steorts.
Tips on how to dress for a safe day at the playground
*Dress children in close-fitting but comfortable clothes.
*Avoid outfits with drawstrings or straps.
*Remove jewelry.
*Never wear bicycle helmets that could increase the risk of strangulation.
Other things to think about: Check the gaps on the playground equipment to make sure they're either too small or too large for a child to get trapped.
Open spaces on playground equipment should be less than 3 1/2 inches or more than 9 inches to prevent entrapment.
Also, be on the lookout for potential dangerous hardware, like bolts or screws that stick out. And, if you spot any dangerous conditions be sure to report them to the owner or operator as quickly as possible.
One father we spoke with has the final word on playground safety.
Cory Hopp said, "The most important thing is be safe, no running and have fun and enjoy the summer."