Playground Safety

Elk Grove is fortunate to have an abundance of playgrounds for youth activity. The Cosumnes Community Services District maintains over 100 playgrounds at 90+ parks. To ensure the playgrounds are safe, the Park & Golf Operations Division staff conduct both high and low frequency inspections.

High Frequency Playground Inspections

High frequency playground inspections occur monthly by trained staff. A typical 10-minute inspection includes a visible scan of the playground, verification that safety surfacing is in good condition, and looking for evidence of significant problems. 

Any identified problems are scheduled for repairs. Equipment may be closed off if it is not safe to use. Staff spend an average of 100 hours each month on inspections, repairs, and documentation.

Low Frequency Playground Inspections

Low frequency playground inspections occur annually by an outside firm with additional playground safety expertise and certification. Each playground receives a thorough 60 minute inspection. The inspector inspects the following:  

  • Checks footings.
  • Checks for entanglement hazards.
  • Ensures no crush hazards are present.
  • Evaluates Guardrails.
  • Examines S-hooks on Swings.
  • Verifies that bounded openings are in compliance.
  • A complete report is filed and any hazardous situations are scheduled for repair.

Did You Know?

Many Cosumnes CSD park playgrounds have been designed using poured in place resilient safety surfacing. This product uses rubber or thermoplastic to create a clean and colorful safety surface that surrounds the play equipment. Over the years this material has deteriorated rapidly due to sun and heat exposure. It is now clear that the material requires expensive maintenance and constant replacement to keep the attractive appearance and uniform surface integrity it had when first installed. Therefore, staff will be designing future parks with Engineered Wood Fiber (EWF) for safety surfacing in lieu of the poured in place resilient safety surfacing. EWF is ADA compliant and meets all American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) safety surfacing requirements. It is economical to install and easy to maintain. Cosumnes CSD is still committed to maintaining all existing playgrounds with the poured in place products so that all safety requirements are met. Any future installations of the poured in place product will be minimal, used only, in special situations where EWF may not work.

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