Monkey Bar Accident in Playground
Play is important to children for exercise, promoting health and reducing obesity. Long gone are the days where many playgrounds were installed on solid concrete/tarmac. But playing safely is critical. We do not want to create an environment where no facilities are on offer as Council’s, Schools and other places are fearful of being sued. On the other hand, we do not want playgrounds where children can be hurt due to neglect or dangerous installation or use.
Playground Surface for Monkey Bars (Climbing Frames)
Various studies have been carried out to consider children’s injuries on concrete/tarmac as opposed to modern more softer surfaces. In a report by Mott A, (1) it found that concrete, when compared to rubber surfaces, a child was more than 2.2 times likely to sustain an injury but in other reports, when it comes to fractures there were no significant differences. Thus bark surfaces may not offer any greater protection than concrete when it comes to fractures which can be hard to believe.
However the type of injury sustained and the floor surface are only one factor. Others can include:
• how the child fell, (awkward fall may give rise to greater injury)
• weight of the child
• height of child
• height of fall
• equipment defects
• particular features of the monkey bar that may cause injury to the child
• monkey bars or horizontal ladders often lead to an increase in risk of injury Mott A, (1)
(1) Mott A, Rolfe K, James R, et al. Safety of surfaces and equipment for children in playgrounds. Lancet1997;348:1874–6.
Typical Child Injuries Following Accident on Monkey Bars/Playground
Many injuries are cuts and grazes from monkey bars. The kind of every day life as a child, the injuries we grow up with. However, when it becomes that much serious, a child injury solicitor will be able to help you make a compensation claim. The following link provides guidance on a difficult case where the school’s insurance company has denied blame and the evidence the child injury solicitors requires to prove a claim monkey bar accident to child in playground.
Another example of a dangerous activity at a child’s playground is trampolining. There have been several child injuries reported at trampoline parks throughout the country with Flip Out Chester one example of a park that has repeatedly made the news for serious injuries. A safer alternative solution to trampoline parks that businesses are beginning to opt for is an inflatable park such as the Velocity Liverpool inflatables park where the playground is far less likely to lead to injury.
For further information and on how to make a claim please contact us.
