Valesse: CPSC targets backyard playgrounds

Julie Vallese

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- A new report released Thursday by the Consumer Product Safety Commission shows more children have died on backyard playgrounds than on public playgrounds over the past 10 years. We asked CNN Consumer Affairs Correspondent Julie Vallese about the report, and what steps can be taken to keep children safe in the playground.

Q: What prompted the CPSC to act on playground safety? Has it been working on the issue for a while?

VALLESE: The Consumer Product Safety Commission routinely looks at playground safety for both public and private playgrounds. The agency does have jurisdiction over regulations for public playgrounds. While they do not maintain the playgrounds -- that is up to the city, county or community -- they do inspect playgrounds to make sure they are meeting safety requirements. So keeping playgrounds safe and constantly updating recommendations and guidelines as equipment choices change is part of the CPSC's mission and goal.

Q: Why is the issue of playground safety so important?

VALLESE: The issue of playground safety is important because of the number of children who use the equipment. It is their domain and it should be fun and relatively risk-free. Children are enthusiastic, inventive and inquisitive when it comes to playing, and that's exactly the way safety experts say children should be on a playground. A child shouldn't have to worry about hidden dangers or hazards, that, both medical experts and safety experts say, should be left up to adults.

Another reason it is important is because parents should be aware of possible dangers outside the regular regulations. Safety experts say most parents believe that if a product is on the market or is available for their or their child's use, then it's probably safe. And while that may be the case most of the time, parents should know what to look for to assess a product or situation themselves.

Q: What was the agency most concerned with regarding playground safety? Does it want to prevent injuries, increase awareness, or make products safer?

VALLESE: The CPSC is concerned with all things safety. That means they want to do all three: prevent injuries and deaths, increase awareness and make products safer. With the people we spoke with, most of the play sets available are manufactured with safety in mind and meet all recommended guidelines. However, because the agency does not inspect backyard playgrounds, they felt it was necessary to raise awareness and make suggestions for safer backyard play.

Q: How did the CPSC compile its figures for this report? What areas of safety did it look at?

VALLESE: To put together the report on playground deaths and injuries, the CPSC studied hospital emergency room records from November 1998 through October 1999. They reviewed reports of how children were injured and what the injury was. The CPSC also reviewed reports to the agency of playground-related deaths from January 1990 through August 2000. Both public and home playgrounds were included in the report.

The main areas the agency looked at were how well the play set was constructed, what protective surfaces were used underneath play sets, makeshift swings or added equipment such as ropes or leashes, openings where a child could get caught and the presence of sharp edges or open hooks.

Q: What is the advice to parents? For example, should they be more alert to their children's activity, or pay attention to which playground sets they buy?

VALLESE: Those who sell backyard play sets do have to meet requirements for manufacturing the product, but it is up to the parents to properly maintain and monitor the use of their backyard playgrounds. The CPSC recommendations include:

-- Make sure the play set is securely anchored. The CPSC says it doesn't matter if it is made of wood or metal, just as long as it doesn't move or shake when it's in the ground.

-- Install and maintain at least 9 inches of protective surfacing. This is something like wood chips, mulch, shredded rubber or pea gravel. And the CPSC warns not to think you're done once you put the surface down. They say it should be maintained and replenished. It should also extend at least 6 feet in all directions.

-- Never attach ropes, jump ropes, clotheslines or pet leashes to the equipment.

-- Make sure the swings are not made of wood or hard plastic. They should be made of a soft rubber material to reduce the risk of head injuries.

-- Smooth sharp points or edges and cover "s" hooks, like the kind used to attach chains to the swing.

-- Check for openings in guard rails. They should be either smaller than three and a half inches or larger than 9 inches.

Most of all, the CPSC says, parents should supervise their children. Just because you may be at home and or in your private backyard doesn't mean unintentional injuries can't happen.