Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 06/10/2021

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Handbook for Playground Safety Figure 22. Example of spring rocker • For toddlers: — The seat should be between 12 and 16 inches high. — Spring rockers with opposing seats intended for more than one child should have at least 37 inches between the seat centers. • For preschoolers: — The seat should be between 14 and 28 inches high. • Each seating position should be equipped with handgrips and footrests. The diameter of handgrips should follow the recommendations for hand gripping components in §5.2.2. • The springs of rocking equipment should minimize the possibility of children crushing their hands or their feet between coils or between the spring and a part of the rocker. • The use zone should extend a minimum of 6 feet from the "at rest" perimeter of the equipment. • The use zone may overlap with neighboring equipment if the other piece of equipment allows overlapping use zones and — There is at least 6 feet between equipment when adjacent designated play surfaces are no more than 30 inches high; or — There is at least 9 feet between equipment when adjacent designated play surfaces are more than 30 inches high; and — The spring rocker is designed to be used from a seated position. 5.3.7.1 Fall height The fall height of spring rockers is the distance between either (1) the highest designated playing surface or (2) the seat, whichever is higher, and the protective surfacing beneath it. 5.3.8 Swings Children of all ages generally enjoy the sensations created while swinging. Mostly they sit on the swings; however, it is common to see children jumping off swings. Younger children also tend to swing on their stomachs, and older children may stand on the seats. To prevent injuries, these behaviors should be discouraged. Swings may be divided into two distinct types: • Single axis: Sometimes called a to -fro swing. A single -axis swing is intended to swing back and forth in a single plane and generally consists of a seat supported by at least two suspending members, each of which is connected to a separate pivot on an overhead structure. • Multi -axis: A multi -axis swing consists of a seat (generally a tire) suspended from a single pivot that permits it to swing in any direction. 5.3.8.1 General swing recommendations • Hardware used to secure the suspending elements to the swing seat and to the supporting structure should not be removable without the use of tools. • S-hooks are often part of a swing's suspension system, either attaching the suspending elements to the overhead support bar or to the swing seat. Open S-hooks can catch a child's clothing and present a strangulation hazard. S- hooks should be pinched closed. An S-hook is considered closed if there is no gap or space greater than 0.04 inches (about the thickness of a dime). • Swings should be suspended from support structures that discourage climbing. • A -frame support structures should not have horizontal cross -bars. 36