Playground Dress Code Helps Ensure Safety

Published April 10, 2015

As weather transitions from winter jackets, hats and mittens to sweatshirts, t-shirts and shorts, parents need to be aware of dress code expectations on all WCS playgrounds in an effort to keep students safe.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Public Playground Safety Handbook, drawstrings on the hoods of jackets, sweatshirts and other upper body clothing can become entangled in playground equipment and can cause death by strangulation. To avoid risk, children should not wear jewelry, jackets or sweatshirts with drawstring hoods, mittens connected through the arms or other upper body clothing with drawstrings.

Per the American Society Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Playground Equipment, signs have been installed on all WCS playgrounds that state that bike helmets, hood drawstrings, necklaces, lanyards or any other accessories worn around the neck are prohibited on the playground.

WCS uses two standards for installation and inspection of WCS playground equipment, The Public Playground Safety Handbook by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and The Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Playground Equipment for Public Use by the ASTM.

For questions and additional information, please contact Phil Devine, WCS Assistant Maintenance Director, at (615) 472-4974 or (615) 283-4045.