Tips to Avoid Back-to-School Injuries

August 2007

Attention parents – do you know the hazards children face in the classroom and on the playground? The Consumer Product Safety Commission has released their list of top child safety tips just in time for the 2007-2008 school year.

Annually, over 200,000 children visit the emergency room with playground injuries. The majority of accidents occur when a child falls from playground equipment. To prevent these injuries, it’s important to have at least nine inches of soft material such as mulch, pea gravel, sand, or wood chips underneath. Other playground hazards include exposed jungle gym hardware, free-hanging ropes, and moveable soccer goals.

Outdoor hazards aren’t the only back-to-school dangers. Art supplies in the classroom should always be non-toxic and child safe. All approved art materials should say “CONFORMS TO ASTM D-4236” on their packaging. Back-to-school clothing should also be free of risk. Remove all drawstrings from hooded shirts, jackets, and sweatshirts to eliminate the potential of strangulation injuries.