Signs of the times. (Playgrounds).

There has been some debate about the effectiveness of signage as a preventive measure to reduce playground injuries. While supporters of signs suggest that they inform the public about safety practices, some lawyers argue that signs could open agencies to potential lawsuits by pointing out hazardous conditions. As a result, in many public areas, it is more likely to find signs outlining what to do with animals (i.e., keep all dogs on a leash) than to inform the public about unsafe human behavior with regard to playground environments.

In fact, in a nationwide study conducted by the National Program for Playground Safety, it was found that only 6% of public playgrounds in the United States had any type of signage concerning equipment use.

Do signs help to influence positive safety practices on playgrounds? Are adults or children apt to pay attention to signs? These and other questions were asked in a recent study conducted by the National Program for Playground Safety (NPPS).

In 1999, NPPS, in collaboration with 3M/Nexcare/First Aid products, saw a need to increase the public awareness about the use of appropriate playground equipment for children ages two to five and five to 12, and the need for adult supervision on playgrounds. As part of the collaboration, both groups were interested in the role that signs may play in safe playground practices. Thus, a survey was conducted concerning the effectiveness of signs in raising the awareness of safe playground practices.

The two organizations worked together to develop playground signs that addressed these issues. The underlying basis of these signs can be found in the playground injury literature. It indicates that playground injuries occur when kids use equipment that's inappropriate for their development or when they lack proper supervision. Specifically, children aged two to five, who use equipment pieces that are too large for their grip, too high for them to safely navigate, or too complex for their decision-making abilities are at serious risk of a playground injury. Both the Consumer Product Safety Commission guidelines (1997) and the American Society for Testing and Materials Standard (F-1487-01) recognize these facts and recommend that equipment be designed for ages two to five or five to 12.

Further, the lack of proper adult supervision on playgrounds significantly increases the probability that an injury will occur. What's more, in the NPPS survey, it was found that 30% of the time that children were on play structures, no adults were present.

GETTING THEIR ATTENTION

Signs were placed in specific sites in the midwest, southeast and southwest United States. Over a two-week period, consultants with NPPS approached adults at these sites to determine what influences, if any, the signs had in terms of the equipment they allowed their children to play on and their own behavior in terms of supervision. A total of 134 useable surveys were collected and serve as the basis for this study.

Seventy-four percent of those surveyed noticed the existence of the signs as they entered the playground area. Items that were cited as the most notable included: colors (yellow and red), words (supervise and age appropriate), and images (kids on horses or children playing). A few felt that the signs were not big enough, were located too high on the equipment, or in the wrong place.

Thirty-one percent felt that the signs influenced their supervision practices. These individuals mentioned that they had a tendency to watch their children closer. The signs reminded them to supervise their children and pointed out that there were differences among the equipment that related to the children's age.

However, most people (69%) said that the signs had no influence on their supervision behavior. Reasons for this included: "they knew how to take care of their kids," "they were frequent users of the play area and were comfortable with the equipment and area," "their children were old enough to take care of themselves," "the signs were for equipment the children were not using," and "they couldn't read or understand English."

In terms of what equipment they allowed their children to play on, 34% said the signs influenced their decisions. Specific comments included that the signs "offered guidance and designated appropriate play areas," and they "kept children off inappropriate equipment." Others said they "followed the suggestions on signs" and "stayed in appropriate areas and only used appropriate equipment." People that indicated the signs did not influence their decisions cited the following reasons: "know how to take care of kids", "would be helpful in a new park but already comfortable in present area," "my common sense should dictate how to watch children and what they should play on," "children should be able to play on any equipment that is provided," and "my child is big enough to choose what he or she wants to do."

Despite the fact that only one-third of those surveyed felt the signs influenced their behaviors, the majority of people surveyed (52%) thought that having the signs on the playground was helpful and informed adults about playground safety practices. Specific comments included: "good idea, especially in parks," "may make adults supervise children more closely," "helpful for the younger children," "keeps the child off the wrong equipment," and "serves as a good reminder." Those who did not find the signs useful said: "it doesn't talk about playground safety," "responsible parents will use the playground responsibly and irresponsible ones will ignore the signs," "signs don't help as nobody pays attention to them," and "signs don't help with unsupervised children."

To Sign or Not to Sign

Clearly, more studies need to be conducted about the effectiveness of signs in helping to raise the awareness of playground safety and reduce the 200,000 injuries a year. And the lawyers need to sort out whether a park increases its liability by warning the public to act responsibly with signage. The majority of people in this survey did not feel that the signs directly influenced their supervision practices or what pieces of equipment they allowed their children to use, yet they still felt the presence of these signs was a good thing and provided playground safety information. What's more, if signs help cut the injury rate by just one third, you help 60,000 children each year!

It should be noted that now as a standard practice, most playground equipment manufacturers provide age labels for their products. In addition, many of these labels are a reminder that children should be supervised. Better yet, many manufacturers include signs about age appropriateness and supervision in the total new equipment packages. This practice is in contrast to past polices, which encouraged clients to purchase signs separately from the equipment. Further studies would be prudent to observe the influence signs and labels have on how children use playground equipment, how adults supervise children and any pre-or post-injury rates sustained by the children at a playground.

While the decision to put signs on playgrounds will remain a local issue, the fact remains that it is up to the owners and operators of public playgrounds to raise public awareness about playground safety. While there may be other ways to accomplish this task, the use of signs is one way to control the public playgrounds and demonstrate a commitment to provide a safe play environment for all children.

AGE-APPROPRIATE PLAYGROUNDS

These signs will only be effective on playgrounds that have a clear separation of equipment for the various age groups. Communities that continue to think that "one size fits all," and thus design playgrounds for ages two to 12, will continue to put children at risk. Mixed-age use playgrounds continue to be a safety concern around the country (Thompson & Hudson, 2000).

THE WRONG EXCUSES

I knew how to take care of my kids.

I come here often and know the equipment and area.

My kids are old enough to take care of themselves.

My kids aren't using the equipment that the signs refer to.

I don't know what they say, I don't read English.

References

American Society for Testing and Materials. (2001). F1487-01. Standard Consumer Safety Performance, Specification for Playground Equipment for Public Use. W. Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.

Bruya, L. (1998). Supervision on the Elementary School Playground. Unpublished Master's Thesis, Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington.

Bruya, L. and Bruya, L. (2000). Risk Factor One: Supervision on a Safe Playground. JOPERD 71(3).

Consumer Product Safety Commission. (1997). Handbook for Public Playground Safety. Washington, DC: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Frost, J. and Sweeney, T. (1996). Cause and Prevention of Playground Injuries and Litigation: Case Studies. Wheaton, MD: Association for Childhood Education International.

Hudson, S., Mack, M., and Thompson, D. (2000). How Safe Are America's Playgrounds? Cedar Falls, IA: National Program for Playground Safety.

King, S. (1990). Developing a Safe Playground Is Everyone's Responsibility. Paper presented at the National Recreation and Park Congress, Bloomington, MN.

Mack, M., Hudson, S., Thompson, D., and Sacks, J. (1999). Playground Safety--United States, 1998-1999. MMRW 48(16)329-332.

Thompson, D., Mack, M. and Hudson, S. (Spring 2000) Good Playground Supervision is No Accident. Children and Families (National Head Start Association), Vol. XIV, No. 2 pp, 28-30.

Thompson, D. and Hudson, S.(2001) Children and Playground Injuries, Children and Injuries. J.Frost, ed. Tucson, Arizona 

Lawyers & Judges Publishing Company. pp. 249-312.

Donna Thompson, Ph.D., is a professor and the director of the National Program for Playground Safety, University of Northern Iowa. Dr. Thompson is secretary of the ASTM 15.29 Playground for Public Use Sub-committee.

Susan Hudson, Ph.D., is the education director of the National Program for Playground Safety and the McElroy Professor of Youth Leadership Studies at the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls. Both Dr. Thompson and Dr. Hudson have served as president of the American Association for Leisure and Recreation and received honor awards for professional contributions. You can read their article, "Sign of the Times," on page 60.