Daycare playground injury claims come from a child being injured due to inadequate or improper supervision, equipment that is not age appropriate, or play equipment which is in poor condition or needs repair. In the US there are over 8-million children, 40% of whom who are under the age of five, spending at least part of every week being cared for by someone other than a parent.
Daycare Playground Injury Examples
The leading cause of reported daycare injuries involve a fall. Up to 60% of injuries due to a fall of those injuries occur on the playground. Running, climbing, or playing can easily result in a fall when young children are at play, but it is the responsibility of the daycare worker to step in before an injury happens. The Center is also responsible to keep the grounds and equipment safe, clean, and age appropriate for the children that will be playing there.
Daycare Playground Injury Statistics
The following statistics show how playgrounds can cause serious injury to an innocent child:
- Over 200,000 preschool and elementary children a year received care in the ER for injuries receiving while using playground equipment
- For children aged 0 – 4, head and face injuries account for 60% of injuries on the playground; for children aged 5 – 14, 43% of injuries were to their arms and hands
- For those children aged 0 – 4 and children aged 5 – 14, slides, swings and climbing equipment had the highest incidence of reported cause of daycare playground injury
- The most common reported diagnoses from playground injuries were fractures, lacerations, contusions, abrasions, strains or sprains, and internal injuries
Daycare Playground Equipment Injury
There are many pieces of playground equipment, as well as the way the playground is designed, that pose a danger to the children playing on it.
- Daycare centers need to be sure the playground equipment is age appropriate – as an example, a toddler should not be using a tall slide with open steps where a leg could slip through resulting in a fracture, head injury, or worse
- The playground surface should be constructed of rubberized tiles, soft play-safe sand, or loose shredded material about 12-inches thick for safety from any falls or sliding
- Playground equipment should be placed away from a fence, sharp objects, or trip hazards
- Metal slides or climbing equipment left out in the open sun can become hot and cause burns and needs to be checked by the daycare staff before allowing the children to use
- Regular routine daily checks of equipment and playground area need to be made and safety checks documented. Any dangerous situation, or equipment that needs repair needs to be taken care of immediately
- Daily removal of any trash, standing water, or other hazards before allowing children to enter the play area
- Regular checks for bugs, bees, or pests that may invade a piece of equipment or play area
- The Playground needs to be designed for clear line of sight by supervising staff, or need for additional staff to keep watch on all children playing on the playground
Daycare Playground Injury Attorney
If your child received a daycare playground injury, call the attorney who works for all ages. Call the offices of attorney Joel Baskin to discuss your rights and options in this serious matter.