Audit and inspection tools for children's play areas.

If we were to take an epidemiological snapshot of any community, we would probably find that the preponderance of illnesses and injuries occur among our children. Runny noses, bumps, and scrapes are a normal consequence of growing up, and we seem to take these things in stride. Although most of these misadventures are not life threatening, they certainly create the potential for more serious consequences. We try to minimize the spread of infectious organisms by encouraging our young charges to frequently wash their hands and not to muck around with excretions from man and beast. Often, we merely treat minor injuries with an adhesive bandage and console the tearful victim with a hug and tender loving care. Good public health practice, however, tells us that we could be more proactive in preventing some of these injuries in homes, schools, camps, and playgrounds; all it takes is a few simple tools.

Given the opportunity, almost every child (and every adult, as well) enjoys the challenges in a children's play area. Sanitarians should share the responsibility of ensuring that every child is reasonably safe. The National Playground Safety Institute (a program of the National Recreation and Park Association), the National Safety Council, and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) are quite active in setting standards and promoting playground safety We can certainly learn from their work and extend the benefits of their experience into our daily practice.

In the process of evaluating schools, daycare centers, camps, other recreational facilities, and even homes, we have found several valuable tools that help identify areas that pose risk of injury. In addition to being fun to use, these tools are inexpensive. They include a manual and checklist, an "articulated web stop probe," and an Entrapment Probes and Protrusion Gauges Kit - all for under $200.

The most important of the three tools is the manual, The Safety First Checklist, second edition, by Sally McIntyre and Susan M. Goltsman. This manual is well written, easy to understand, and logically arranged. It contains a Safety First Checklist" along with other valuable information and resources. In the words of the authors, "The Safety First Checklist translates the most up-to-date information on playground safety into an easy-to-use play area inspection system." Although the checklist does not apply to amusement park equipment, exercise equipment, home playground equipment, or soft-contained play equipment, its principles can be applied to almost anything with which a child comes into contact. The checklist covers definitions of safety terms, a list of tools needed to conduct an inspection, and a detailed description of inspection procedures, as well as other valuable topics. In addition, the publishers grant us, the end users, the right to use the "Safety First Checklist" forms in conducting our inspections. This manual is a bargain at $40, and every health department reference library should have a copy.

The articulated web stop probe, available from Underwriter Laboratories, Inc.,(*) is a plastic model of a finger. It has articulating joints and is tapered to mimic index finger sizes that range from those of children to those of adults. This ASTM-recommended tool is used routinely by Underwriter Laboratories to evaluate consumer products for injury potential. In the inspection of playgrounds, the tool is used to check small openings that may provide access to potential pinch, crush, and shear points. We found it most useful in our inspections of daycare centers, where we use the probe to evaluate all areas and objects in the children's environment, including bathrooms, kitchenettes, toys, and furnishings. We also found that the articulated web stop probe is particularly useful in long-term custodial care facilities and correctional institutions as a screening adjunct to security evaluations. The probe costs $35 and is well worth the money Because of its unique configuration, it makes an excellent teaching tool, as well as a source of amusement for the imaginative and light-hearted.

The Entrapment Probes and Protrusion Gauges Kit, consisting of two large probes and four protrusion inspection gauges, is available through the National Recreation and Parks Association.(**) The larger probes are lightweight, three-dimensional, plastic templates that mimic parts of a child's body In the field, the probes are used to evaluate both rigid and nonrigid openings on playground equipment for head, neck, and torso entrapment.

The four protrusion gauges are a series of plastic rings manufactured from pipe sections of various diameters and thicknesses. They are used to evaluate the injury potential of hardware, pipes, posts, and other structural elements that extend in any direction from play equipment. We also find these gauges particularly useful when evaluating food service establishments and institutions for hazardous appurtenances. In fact, we use one of the protrusion gauges (designed to evaluate swing seats and swing hardware) as a self-inspection tool in institutions where appurtenances and suicide prevention are an issue. The kit sells for $70 and comes complete with a zippered tote bag and an excellent set of instructions.

For those who are interested in learning more about evaluating playground safety, the National Recreation and Park Association offers a National Playground Safety Inspector course at various locations around the country. Advanced reading and 10 hours of training from nationally known playground safety experts will prepare you to take the Certified Playground Safety Inspection Examination offered at the culmination of the certification course. For further information on this and other recreational safety programs, contact NRPA at the address or telephone number given below.(**)

* Underwriter Laboratories, Inc., 333 Pfingsten Road, Northbrook, IL 60062. Telephone: [phone], ext. 42612.

** National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), 2775 South Quincy Street, Suite 300, Alexandria, VA 22206. Telephone: [phone].