1.   Make sure adult supervision is present at the playground 2.   Guide children to play on age-appropriate equipment. 3.   Survey the play area and make sure it is free of apparent hazards. 4.   Check the playground surface for cushioned surfacing beneath equipment and its fall areas.

Falls to surfaces are responsible for more than 70 percent of the injuries sustained on playgrounds. Improper surfacing is the leading cause of many of those injuries. Acceptable surfaces include hardwood fiber/mulch, pea gravel and sand. Other options include synthetic surfaces such as rubber tiles, mats or poured surfaces. Loose-fill surfaces may need to be pushed back underneath equipment for adequate cushioning if the material has been moved or pushed to the edge of the play area. Cushioned surfacing should be provided under all equipment and its fall zone.

** Terra Pads eliminate the need for the maintenance of raking the loose fill back in the holes, which ultimately prevents these dangerous hazards under and around high traffic areas.

5.   Examine equipment such as ladders, platforms and steps

6.   Survey types and quality of swings.

7.   Check out the slides.

8.   Review the seesaw area.

9.   Inspect the action of merry-go-rounds.

10.  Be a good neighbor.

If you have found problems that you have not been able to handle yourself, contact the administrator of the play area to suggest changes and point out problems. If an injury occurred, make sure to contact the administrator of the play area and report the injury, the condition of the play area at the time, and any factors that may have been related to the incident.

To report a product hazard or a product-related injury, write to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington , DC 20207 or call the toll-free hotline at 800-638-2772.