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    The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warns of thermal burns from playground equipment that can occur even in mild weather conditions. Both metal and non-metal surfaces like plastics and rubbers have the potential to get hot enough to burn a child's skin. Children ages 2 and younger are most at risk due to their delicate skin and inability to recognize and remove themselves from hot surfaces. Playground users should always check temperatures, especially of dark surfaces, dress children appropriately, provide supervision, and report any injuries.

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    Burn Safety Awareness on Playgrounds

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    Burn Safety Awareness on Playgrounds

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    The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warns of thermal burns from playground equipment that can occur even in mild weather conditions. Both metal and non-metal surfaces like plastics and rubbers have the potential to get hot enough to burn a child's skin. Children ages 2 and younger are most at risk due to their delicate skin and inability to recognize and remove themselves from hot surfaces. Playground users should always check temperatures, especially of dark surfaces, dress children appropriately, provide supervision, and report any injuries.

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    Burn Safety Awareness On Playgrounds

    Uploaded by

    WSET
    The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warns of thermal burns from playground equipment that can occur even in mild weather conditions. Both metal and non-metal surfaces like plastics and rubbers have the potential to get hot enough to burn a child's skin. Children ages 2 and younger are most at risk due to their delicate skin and inability to recognize and remove themselves from hot surfaces. Playground users should always check temperatures, especially of dark surfaces, dress children appropriately, provide supervision, and report any injuries.

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    Burn Safety Awareness on Playgrounds

    Thermal Burns from Playground Equipment


    TheU.S.ConsumerProductSafetyCommission CPSC wantsyoutobeawareoftheriskofthermal
    burnsfromplaygroundequipment.Youmayrememberthemetalslidesofyouryouthandhowthey
    couldgetveryhotinthesummersun.Butwhatyoumaynotrealizeisthattodaysnewermaterials,
    suchasplasticsandrubbers,alsohavethepotentialtobecomehotenoughtoburnachildsskin.

    Doesnt it have to be hot outside in order for a child to receive a burn?


    Surprisingly, no! The weather does not have to be hot in order for equipment to heat up and cause
    burns.Eveninmildweather,aslongastheequipmentorsurfacingisindirectsunlightforanextended
    periodoftime,thereisariskofsustainingathermalburninjury.Infact,onereportedincidentoccurred
    ona74Fdayandresultedinachildreceivingseriousseconddegreeburnsfromaplasticslide.

    I only have to worry about metal slides, right?


    No.Metalisnottheonlymaterialthatcancausethermalburns.Becauseitisknownthatbare
    uncoated metalslidescancausesevereburns,manypiecesofmetalplaygroundequipmenthave
    eitherbeenreplacedwithplasticequipmentorcoatedwithheatreducingpaintyetburnsstilloccur
    onplaygrounds.CPSCisawareofnearly30thermalburnincidentsfrom20012008.Ofthoseincidents,
    10wereassociatedwithplastic,rubber,orothernonmetalsurfaces,andsevenwereassociatedwith
    metalsurfaces.
    What should I watch for?

    Uncoatedmetalequipment,ormetalequipmentwheretheheatreducingcoatinghasrubbedoff
    Slides,swings,orotherequipmentthatachildmaysiton
    Darkcolored plastics and rubbers, especially the surfacing under and around the playground
    equipment
    Asphaltandconcretesurfacesnearplaygrounds.

    Surfacing Materials Slides, including plastic Swings


    Who is most at risk?
    Achildofanyagecanbeburnedbyahotsurface;however,children2yearsoldandyoungeraremostat
    riskfortworeasons:
    1 Ayoungchildsskinismoresusceptibletoburningbecauseitisthinnerandmoredelicate.
    2 Youngchildrenhavenotyetlearnedtoreactbyremovingthemselvesfromthehotsurface.
    Unlikethereflexthathappenswhenachildtouchesaveryhotsurfacewiththeirhand,ayoung
    childwhoissittingorstandingonthehotsurfacemayscreamfromthepainofburning,butthey
    maynotknowtomovefromthelocationthatisburningthem.

    What can I do?


    Alwaysbeawareofthesunandweatherconditions,anddonotassumethattheequipmentissafe
    becausetheairtemperatureisnotveryhigh.

    Alwayscheckthetemperatureoftheequipmentandsurfacingbeforelettingyourchildrenplayon
    theplayground.

    o Remember,ayoungchildsskinwillburnfasterthanyourown.Ifitfeelshot
    toyourhand,itmaybetoohotforachildsbareskin.
    o Because some materials transfer heat more slowly than others, these
    materialsmaynotfeelhotwithaquicktouch.

    Alwaysdressyourchildinappropriateclothingfortheplayground(e.g.,shoes,pants).

    Rememberthatplaygroundequipment,aswellasplaygroundsurfacing,maycauseburns.

    o Severalincidentshaveinvolvedachildrunningbarefootacrosstheplayground.

    Always watch your children while on the playground. Supervision can help to prevent some
    incidents.

    Where can I report an injury or burn?


    Ifyourchildisinjuredontheplayground,firstseekmedicalattention,ifnecessary,then:

    1. Calltheparkowneroroperator,whichisoftenyourlocalparksandrecreationdepartmentor
    schoolsystem,andnotifythemoftheinjury.
    2. ReporttheincidenttoCPSCbycalling8006382772orloggingontowww.SaferProducts.gov.
    3. Callthemanufacturer ifknown ,andnotifythemoftheinjury.

    Publication3200042012

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