PASSION FOR THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN! (SM)
Why Do We Do This?
Why do we have the Passion?
An estimated half million children under the age of 14 sustain injuries on playgrounds every year.[1] According to the CDC, each year in the United States, emergency departments treat more than 200,000 children ages 14 and younger for playground related injuries[2] (equal to about one every 2.5 minutes) and about 45% of those injuries are severe.[3] More than 20,000 children a year are treated for traumatic brain injury including concussion[4] and those injuries often involve monkey bars, climbing equipment, or swings. Between 1990 and 2000, 56% of playground fatalities were the result of strangulation.[5] In a Consumer Product Safety Commission investigation of 2001-2008 fatalities, the average age of the children who died was 6 years old, and 68% died as the result of strangulation.[6]
In addition to the obvious cost to health and welfare, in 1995, playground injuries cost an estimated $1.2 billion.[7] Of course, in the decades since, the cost has been on the rise.
Any instance where a child is harmed is heart wrenching and distressful. But, an instance that could’ve been avoided is surely a tragedy.
Even if you don’t hire us, please inspect your playgrounds regularly and avoid the heartbreak and cost of playground injuries.
[1] https://cultureofsafety.thesilverlining.com/childcare/playground-injuries/
[2] https://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Playground-Injuries/playgroundinjuries-factsheet.htm citing Tinsworth D, McDonald J. Special Study: Injuries and Deaths Associated with Children’s Playground Equipment. Washington (DC): U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission; 2001.
[3] https://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Playground-Injuries/playgroundinjuries-factsheet.htm citing Tinsworth 2001.
[4] https://www.cdc.gov/safechild/playground/index.html citing Cheng TA, Bell JM, Haileyesus T, Gilchrist J, Sugerman DE, Coronado VG. Nonfatal playground-related traumatic brain injuries among children, 2001-2013. Pediatrics published online: May 2, 2016 (doi: 10.1542/peds.2015-2721.R3).
[5] https://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Playground-Injuries/playgroundinjuries-factsheet.htm citing Tinsworth 2001.
[6] https://www.cdc.gov/safechild/playground/index.html citing U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Injuries and investigated deaths associated with playground equipment, 2001-2008. https://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/108596/playground.pdf. Published October 29, 2009. Accessed April 26, 2016.In 2009-2014, the statistics were an average age of 7 years old and 56% were by asphyxiation. (https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/Injuries%20and%20Investigated%20Deaths%20Associated%20with%20Playground%20Equipment%202009%20to%202014_1.pdf?29GwYlhQ6fUwXskAQxLoGaHaE8aHZSsY)
[7] https://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Playground-Injuries/playgroundinjuries-factsheet.htm citing Office of Technology Assessment, U.S. Congress. Risks to Students in School. Washington (DC): U.S. Government Printing Office; 1995.
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