We note and share the concerns raised in the Sydney Morning Herald article, “’Serious hazard’: Playground equipment under scrutiny after spate of injuries” – https://amp.smh.com.au/national/serious-hazard-playground-equipment-under-scrutiny-after-spate-of-injuries-20221014-p5bpqj.html.
The current research shows that:
- Falls from playground equipment were the primary cause of injuries requiring hospitalisation for kids aged 5 – 14 (Australian Institute of Health & Welfare)
- There were 6115 falls requiring hospitalisation in 2019 – 20 involving the use of playground equipment (Australian Institute of Health & Welfare)
The following are just some of the incidents reported more recently:
- In April 2022, a four-year-old girl fractured both her legs while riding down a tube slide at Boongaree Nature Play Park, in Berry NSW;
- In August 2022, a three-year-old child fractured her leg riding down the same slide at Boongaree Nature Play Park; and
- In early October 2022, a five-year-old girl had two fingertips severed when her hand become stuck in a playground carousel in Strathfield Park NSW. She required emergency treatment and this particular incident prompted an investigation by Strathfield Council.
Unfortunately, there are many reports of children suffering broken bones, lacerations, and burns – particularly while using big playground slides. Sydney researchers have labelled these slides as being “serious hazard” – yet these big slides remain a feature of new and existing playgrounds all over NSW.
What is being done about this issue?
To address these injuries, the organisation responsible for developing and maintaining safety requirements for playground equipment – Standards Australia – recently held a public forum in November, to evaluate the safety standards for playground equipment and see whether any changes were required to make playgrounds safer. We expect that Standards Australia will issue a media release with its findings.
What can you do about this issue?
In the meantime, if you observe any playground equipment that you think poses a risk of harm to your child and/or other children, we encourage you to notify your local council (if a public playground) or the relevant owner (if privately owned), and inform them of a potential risk, keeping a copy of any written notification made.
What can you do if your child suffers a serious injury in a playground?
- Seek medical treatment for your child’s injuries immediately;
- Take photographs and/or video of the subject playground equipment which caused your child’s injuries; and
- Obtain legal advice to determine if your child has a viable compensation claim.
If you, or someone you know, has suffered serious injury in a playground, we would be pleased to meet with you to discuss your options on a no-win, no-fee basis. Please contact our friendly team on (02) 4050 0330 to make an appointment with one of our specialist personal injury solicitors.
