Children’s Play Equipment – Tips To Help Promote Child Safety

In data from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA), more than two million children under the age of 15 experience accidents in and around the home every year, for which they are taken to accident and emergency units. On average 62 children under the age of five died as a result of an accident and over 76.000 under the age of 14  are admitted for treatment.

At Sharrocks, we insure many businesses that hire equipment for children’s parties and events, and children’s play areas both indoor and outdoor and here are some tips to help promote child safety.

Indoor Play Areas

Over the last few years there has been a considerable increase in indoor play areas. At the same time the scope of activities in these areas has increased and more adventurous items are constantly being introduced.

Here are some safety tips when using Indoor Play Areas:

  1. Make sure your child has removed footwear (except socks)
  2. Ensure any hard objects are removed from your child, such as buckles, badges and glasses.
  3. Children should not eat and drink on any play equipment.
  4. Make sure the equipment is clean an clear of debris 
  5. Don’t block entrances and exits or allow children to play in them, as access may need to be gained quickly.
  6. Don’t allow children to climb on the walls (the netting) of indoor play centres, and encourage good, safe, proper use of the equipment.
  7. Make sure staff know where first aid kits are and that someone has been trained to deal with basic injuries.

Outdoor Play Areas

It is estimated that there are approximately 40,000 injuries to children on playgrounds each year which result in a hospital visit.

Ensure these tips are adhered to, to maximise child safety:

  1. Supervision — Designate an adult to watch children at all times. Do not assume someone else is watching.
  2. Make sure children cannot reach any moving parts that might pinch or trap any body part.
  3. Never attach—or allow children to attach—ropes, jump ropes, leashes, or similar items to play equipment; children can strangle on these. If you see something tied to the playground, remove it or call the playground operator to remove it.
  4. Make sure your children remove helmets and anything looped around their necks.
  5. Parents should supervise children on play equipment to make sure they are safe.

Children’s Play Equipment Hire Businesses 

If you are hiring out children’s play equipment it is important:

  1. That all equipment is checked for damage before and after each hire and a record is kept.
  2. Make sure the equipment is stored, cleaned and kept to the manufacturer’s requirements. 
  3. Take a photo of the equipment before and after each hire, as a record of the condition of the equipment
  4. Ensure instructions are provided on how the equipment should be used safely and that this is signed off by the host of the event/ your client  

We all have a part to play in sharing the responsibility for preventing accidents among children and here at Sharrocks we play a part by ensuring everyone is aware of the potential risks.

For a quotation for your event equipment hire business :- Event Equipment Hire Business Insurance Quotation

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