CAMP ZAMA, Japan (Dec. 24, 2014) -- The Camp Zama Housing Office, Safety Office and Directorate of Public Works conducted several playground safety assessments Dec. 22 to ensure the equipment and play areas meet the National Program for Playground Safety standards.
Scott Knowles, the Camp Zama safety officer, said the overall condition of the equipment is primarily assessed.
"How old is the equipment; are there any lose parts or rusted bolts; we ask ourselves what can hurt a child while they are at play" Knowles said.
All the equipment gets assessed, said Knowles, down to the rubber mat flooring, which is placed down with the intent to break or ease a child's fall while playing.
"The biggest problem we have seen is that the rubber surface is old and it expands and contracts due to the weather," said Knowles.
The expansion and contraction of the rubber mats creates gaps which are tripping and slipping hazards during the children's play. Knowles said recently several playgrounds have been built on the Camp Zama and Sagamihara Family Housing Area installations with "seamless" flooring to prevent such damage to the play area.
Knowles said based on this assessment… a report that highlights all the deficiencies will be addressed with DPW and they will most likely replace the deficiencies.
Takahiro Mera, a civil engineer for Camp Zama DPW, said within a month all the smaller deficiencies will be fixed or replaced on the 21 playgrounds on Camp Zama and SFHA installations. Large deficiencies such as complete equipment replacement will be contracted out to a Japanese contracting agency, said Mera.
Knowles said the training for properly assessing playgrounds was only recently made available to Safety Officers within the last couple of months.
"The training was really comprehensive," said Knowles, "you learn all the standards and references from the NPPS."
The training teaches you exactly what to look for, Knowles continued, "anything that could hurt a child while at play."
Knowles said playgrounds built now must allow for visual contact at all times.
Most playgrounds have tunnels or hideaway areas for the children to play and be imaginative. The problem with that, Knowles commented, is that "kids can get their clothes with drawstrings stuck in the equipment." So now the hideaways play areas are built with viewing holes to allow for that visual contact, Knowles said.
Even the length of a slide is assessed, Knowles continued, "it must be within 8-inches from the ground to properly break a child's fall."
Another assessment conducted was to make sure that each playground had shaded areas.
"Trees can provide shade during the summer time," said Mera. For the cooler temperatures, canopies are built to provide shade, said Knowles.
"The key is supervision; were children can be observed at all times," said Knowles.
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