There have been several publicized instances of children suffering serious brain injuries following swing set accidents. This is just another reminder that parents must be aware of the dangers present at their local neighborhood park or elementary school. Each year, 200,000 children under the age of 14 are treated in emergency rooms for playground-related injuries, with swings on home-playgrounds causing the most injuries.

Dangers of Swing Sets

Playgrounds are a great activity for children and encourages them to go outside, get fresh air, and exercise. They give parents an excuse to get out of the house with their children as well. However, serious injuries or even death can occur when playground materials, especially swing sets, are improperly constructed, defective, or otherwise hazardous.

Some common injuries caused by swing sets are:

• Falling off of the swing
• Slipping and falling when getting on or off the swing
• Arms and legs trapped in the chains or rope
• Colliding with another structure when swinging
• Collapse of the structure
• Protruding nails, screws or wood from the structure

Around 51,000 injuries occur each year for the above reasons. In order to help children say safe when using a swing set, parents should ensure that they are supervising their child closely when on the playground. Further, parents should be aware of possible hazards and take efforts to correct them by using swings with a softer landing material around the base or inspecting the swing set to ensure no structural damage, such as nails are protruding. Parents should always make sure their children know the rules of the playground and how they can avoid being injured when using the swing set.

When swing sets are not properly maintained or constructed, they can pose a serious safety threat to children. If children use these swing sets without proper adult supervision, they may subject themselves to injuries and trauma. For the safety of your children, make sure the swing set they are playing on is safe and that they will be completely supervised while playing.