Backyard Safety

Backyard Safety

Children love outdoor swingsets and playgrounds in their backyards. These sets vary from do-it-yourself metal models for $300 to custom-built wood and plastic extravaganzas for $3,000. Whatever you get, the primary focus should be on safety. Here are some issues to consider, courtesy of the Consumer Products Safety Commission:

Playground equipment should be placed over a 6 to 12 inch bed of sand, pea gravel or wood chips to cushion falls.

Platforms should be no higher than 5 feet.

To avoid contact burns, bare or painted metal platforms and slide beds should be avoided unless they can be shaded from the sun. Platforms can be made from wood or vinyl-coated metal and slide beds from plastic.

To prevent young children from running into the path of a moving swing, place swing structures away from other equipment and fence it in.

Climbing equipment should be outside the play structure so that a child does not fall onto anything but the softer playground surface.