Playground Injuries
Our attorneys understand how frightening it can be when a child is injured in a serious accident. If your child has been hurt by dangerous or defective playground equipment, you want a lawyer who understands your needs.
When you hire us, we put our experience to work, fighting for your rights to fair compensation. Contact us today for a free legal evaluation.
National Playground Equipment Injury Statistics
Each year, approx. 205,860 preschool and elementary school children receive emergency medical care for injuries that occur on playground equipment.
- 76 percent of the injuries happened on public playground equipment.
- 23 percent happened on home playground equipment.
Percentage of injuries that involved public equipment:
- Approximately 45 percent occurred in schools
- Approximately 31 percent occurred in public parks
- Approximately 10 percent occurred in commercial childcare centers
- Approximately 3 percent occurred in home childcare
- Approximately 3 percent occurred in apartment complexes
- Approximately 2 percent occurred in fast food restaurants
- Approximately 9 percent occurred in other locations
From January 1990 to August 2000, the Consumer Product Safety Commission received 147 reports of death in children younger than 15 that involved playground equipment.
- 70 percent of the deaths occurred in the home.
- 30 percent of the deaths occurred in public.
Injuries to the head and face accounted for 49 percent of injuries in children 0-4, and injuries to the arm and hand accounted for 49 percent of injuries to children ages 5-14.
Climbing equipment was linked to the highest rates of injury for all children.
About 15 percent of injuries were classified as severe, and 3 percent required hospitalization.
The most common injuries were: fractures (39 percent), lacerations (22 percent), contusions/abrasions (20 percent), and strains/sprains (11 percent).
Falls contributed to 79 percent of public playground injuries and 81 percent of home playground injuries.
2004 Pennsylvania Playground Report Card
Pennsylvania playgrounds were scored on four grading criteria: Supervision, Age-Appropriate Design, Fall Surfacing, and Equipment Maintenance. The United States as a whole scored a C+ in 2004. The grading scale used was: A = 90-100, B = 80-89, C = 70-79, D = 60-69, F = 59 and below.
| Supervision | 2000 | 2004 |
| Adults present | F | C‒ |
| Easily viewed | A | A‒ |
| Crawl spaces | A‒ | F |
| Supervision rules posted | F | F |
| Overall Grade | C | C‒ |
| Age-Appropriate Design | 2000 | 2004 |
| Separate areas | F | F |
| Signage for age groups | F | F |
| Provided change of direction | A | A |
| Had guardrails | A | A |
| Prevented climbing outside of structure | C+ | A‒ |
| Climbing on supporting structure prevented | C+ | A |
| Overall Grade | C | B‒ |
| Fall Surfacing | 2000 | 2004 |
| Suitable materials provided | C‒ | B+ |
| Heights of equipment 8 ft. or lower | N/A | A |
| Appropriate depth of loose fill | F | F |
| 6 ft. use zone has appropriate surface | D‒ | C+ |
| Concrete footings covered | A‒ | A |
| Free of foreign objects | B+ | A |
| Overall Grade | C | B |
| Equipment Maintenance | 2000 | 2004 |
| Free of broken parts | A‒ | B‒ |
| Free of missing parts | C+ | B+ |
| Free of protruding bolts | A‒ | B+ |
| Free of noticeable gaps | C | C‒ |
| Free of head entrapments | C+ | A‒ |
| Free of rust | B+ | D+ |
| Free of splinter | B‒ | B |
| Free of cracks / holes | A | A |
| Overall Grade | B | B |
