Why is Maintenance So Important?
One word ~~ SAFETY! The most important aspect of any play area is its ability to keep those who use it from injury.
A recent five-year risk management study showed that three in four playground accidents were a result of poor maintenance. Scheduled maintenance -whether routine, preventative or renovation- should be performed on playgrounds before they require full repair. A pro-active maintenance program will prevent most major repairs, equipment failures and most importantly, reduce injuries resulting from negligence.
We at Precision Recreation Contractors want to do our part to ensure playground areas are as safe as possible for the children who use them everyday. Through our years of of installing and maintaining play equipment, we have realized the effort should not end with the initial installation.
Conditions of play equipment change drastically over years and even months due to improper use, weather, vandalism and age of the equipment. With that in mind, we have developed a comprehensive three-step program. It is our hope that you can take part in this program and together we can work to make your play area what it is meant to be ~ entertaining, but safe as well.
{MAINTENANCE}:
‘To keep in an existing state (as of repair, efficiency or validity): preserve from failure or decline or to sustain against danger.’
US SAFETY STATISTICS:
Each year in the United States emergency departments treat more than 200,000 children ages 14 and younger for playground related injuries. (Tinsworth 2001)
- 15% of playground related injuries were classified as severe
- 39% of these injuries were fracture
- 22% of these injuries were lacerations
- 79% of all injuries were caused by falls to the surface
Based on these statistics and other research, the National Program for Playground Safety advocates that:
- Adults actively supervise the children on the play equipment.
- Adults provide safe surfacing in public use play areas.
- Adults insure that play areas and equipment be maintained on a regular basis.