PERSONAL HEALTH : Cutting Kids’ Risk of Injuries at Play

Children’s playground injuries are mostly preventable--if parents are more safety conscious and spend some extra time on close supervision.

Dr. Jeffery Fine, a pediatric emergency physician at Bellevue Hospital in New York City, suggests the following:

* Tie back long hair and remove necklaces, scarves, ties or any other item that may get caught in equipment.

* Make sure that the ground beneath the equipment is covered with rubberized mats, sand, mulch or wood chips to absorb much of the shock of a fall.

* Select home play sets with soft plastic or rubber swing seats rather than those of metal or wood.

* Install play sets according to directions and be sure that they are not wobbling or unstable.

* Inspect equipment for peeling paint, splintered or rotted wood, sharp or protruding edges, moving parts that can pinch or crush, and open-ended hooks.

* The maximum height of equipment should be no more than six feet from the ground.

* Teach proper playground behavior. Children should be instructed not to run or push, and to walk around moving objects such as swings and seesaws.