By: Jeffery Warren & Aron Olson
Tel: 803-732-6600
Email Mr. Warren
In 2011, a 5-year old boy was severely injured at a public playground when he fell through a second floor opening around a fireman's pole in a playhouse. He fell more than seven feet and struck a bare concrete floor. We are thankful that he eventually recovered from his injuries. The person who designed and built the playground was accused of negligence. A lawsuit ensued, and eventually settled in favor of the boy.
The young boy's severe injuries occurred during a party at the playground for the children. The boy entered the second level of the playhouse. His mother heard a scream she recognized as her son's, entered the lower level of the playhouse, and found her son injured and in pain. The boy was bleeding from his mouth and complaining of leg pain. An ambulance was summoned and the boy was taken to a hospital.
The Playground
We at The Warren Group were asked to analyze the fireman's pole, the playhouse and the concrete floor to determine if they complied with applicable minimum safety standards for public playgrounds, and to determine if a defect in the design or construction of the playhouse, the fireman's pole and the concrete floor was a cause of the boy's injuries. We discovered that the play equipment did not meet applicable minimum safety standards for public playgrounds, was defective, and was a cause of the boy's injuries.
The fireman's pole. The child fell over 7 ft to the concrete floor below.
This is the first in a multipart blog series examining the incident, the safety standards for public playgrounds and the technology available to make public playgrounds reasonably safe for children. We hope you find the information in our upcoming posts useful, and we encourage you to contact Dr. Warren if you encounter a case involving an injury at a public playground.
Jeffrey Warren, PhD, PE, CSP, is the chief engineer and CEO at Warren specializing in mechanical, machine design and safety. His deep expertise in machine design and safety analysis makes him a frequent presenter, trainer and expert witness. In addition to investigating more than 2000 claims involving property damage and injuries related to machinery and equipment since 1987, Jeff has an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of North Carolina as well as a Master of Science and a Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University - both with machine design emphasis.
©Copyright - All Rights Reserved
DO NOT REPRODUCE WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION BY AUTHOR.
7/22/2009· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction
Forensic Engineering Experts: Warnings
A warning must inform individuals of a danger, which would not be obvious to them. It must tell them how to avoid the danger, and be easily understood. It should also provide them with the consequences of not heading the warning.
7/31/2009· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction
Forensic Engineering Experts: Parking Lots & Garages
Parking lots are the scene of many pedestrian accidents because of the close proximity of people and cars and the confusing traffic patterns that sometimes exist. In addition to pedestrian-vehicle collisions, many trip and fall accidents occur in parking lots as well.
7/31/2009· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction
Forensic Engineering Experts: Power Saws
Approximately 125,000 serious injuries occur in the US each year related to the use of portable and fixed power saws. Lacerations and similar injuries, such as abrasions and avulsions, account for over 90% of these, which generally occur to males and result in losses in the tens of millions of dollars annually.
