Feature
Playgrounds and Safety By Kevin McCann, FIHM K.J. McCann and Associates
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any landlords manage family-oriented buildings and have playgrounds that are made available to the children living on the property. The playgrounds can be small or large and they can be designed for specific age groups. Each year in Canada, over 4,000 children are injured in playground related accidents. In 2016, the Canadian Institute for Health Information reported that 1841 children attended hospitals as a result of playground injuries. The types of injuries included fractures, head injuries, dislocations, etc. While not all injuries are preventable, many of the injuries could be attributed to poorly maintained or outdated equipment. Swings and climbing apparatus are the most common cause of injuries. The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) develops and maintains standards about safe materials, installation, equipment, surfacing, layout, mainte-
IHM News • Summer 2021
The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) develops and maintains standards about safe materials, installation, equipment, surfacing, layout, maintenance and to help keep children safe in playgrounds. nance and other information to help keep children safe in playgrounds. The standard that applies to playgrounds is CAN/CSA-Z614-14. One of the key recommendations in the standard is the regular and systematic inspection of playgrounds. It is recommended that playgrounds be inspected annually, monthly, weekly and even daily. The daily and weekly inspections are more focused on identifying and removing hazards such as glass, sharps, animal feces, etc. while the monthly and annual are more focused on the equipment itself.
Inspections can be performed by inhouse staff although some training should be provided to enable the staff to know the details about proper inspection procedures. The Canadian Playground Safety Institute (CPSI) is one example of a company that can provide the training for staff. The CPSI website also makes available a number of forms and useful information for property managers who want to know more about their responsibilities in relation to playground maintenance. As an alternative to using in-house staff Continued on page 8
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