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Is Your Child’s Safety Threatened by Backyard Swing sets?

By Renee Nordstrand on September 15, 2009

From the Santa Barbara News-Press

Recent concerns have arisen regarding the safety of background playground equipment following the death of 4-year-old Wesley Cowan on his home play structure.  According to Scott Burton, President of Safety Play Inc., 61 children have reported injuries due to a faulty play ground structure design since 1990.   Burton believes many others are injured who never report their incidents to hospitals or the government.

In the dangerous design that concerns Burton, as well growing numbers of other parents, swings and other types of equipment are located under the monkey bars, so that if a child falls from the monkey bars they risk hitting the hard equipment.

A new design standard has been implemented as of July, but the Consumer Product Safety Commission has yet to issue a warning about old play structures that hold the flawed design.

If you have a backyard play structure purchased prior to July 2009, you can prevent injuries by ensuring that there isn’t any hard equipment located under the monkey bars.  If you’ve been a victim of the faulty playground design, you should contact a Santa Barbara child injury lawyer, as you may be entitled to legal compensation.