| Safety is a concern to education | | | | the need for frequent replacement. |
| administrators in today's lawsuit-happy | | | | |
| society. It should be of particular concern | | | | A few minutes spent educating your students |
| around a school gymnasium because the gym is | | | | on proper replacement of equipment could |
| an area that generates a large number of | | | | prevent some of this damage. |
| student injuries. | | | | |
| | | | 4. JUNGLE GYMS AND CLIMBERS |
| Unfortunately, injuries are often the result | | | | |
| of common but inconspicuous equipment and | | | | Hazards include exposed hardware such as |
| facility hazards. | | | | nuts, bolts, and worn or loose pulleys, |
| | | | fasteners, cables and locking devices. All |
| To identify some typical injury risks, I | | | | hardware should be tightened and exposed |
| contacted Cliff Knuff, a consultant who | | | | fasteners can sometimes be relocated or given |
| performs school safety checks as part of his | | | | a protective plastic covering. Also check |
| duties with The Vinyl Doctor out of Val | | | | that mats - not just carpeting - are placed |
| Caron, Ontario. Described below are some of | | | | beneath such climbers. |
| the safety hazards Cliff often sees in the | | | | |
| course of his safety inspections. | | | | 5. Gymnasium Walls |
| | | | |
| 1. VOLLEYBALL NETS & FIXTURESa. The welds | | | | Hazards on gym walls include fi re |
| that connect the angled supports to the | | | | extinguishers and their fastening hooks, |
| bottom of volleyball posts often become | | | | electrical panels with doors that pop open, |
| broken and jagged. These can be re-welded and | | | | unpadded walls and stage edges beneath |
| covered with a protective plastic covering.b. | | | | basketball backboards, and storage doors |
| The crank used for tightening the volleyball | | | | beneath stages that pop open or have exposed |
| net is often at a student's eye-level. They | | | | hardware that can be bumped against. |
| can be replaced with a collapsible handle and | | | | |
| lowered to an area near the floor, within the | | | | INSPECTION TIPS |
| angled supports where they will cause little | | | | |
| damage.c. The holes in the gym floor that | | | | If you plan to perform a walk-around |
| accept the volleyball and badminton posts are | | | | inspection yourself, Cliff has a good tip. |
| often lost or left flipped up. They can trip | | | | Look at your facilities from the eye level of |
| students and break fingers if fallen upon. | | | | your students - even if it means getting down |
| | | | on your hands and knees. Schools were built |
| 2. MATS | | | | and are maintained by adults, and it's easy |
| | | | to overlook situations that are safe for us |
| The vinyl covering on mats often cracks and | | | | but are a hazard for people half our size. |
| becomes worn, exposing the rough, webbed | | | | |
| "scrim" beneath. This rough surface can cause | | | | A PROFESSIONAL INSPECTION - ADVANTAGES |
| cuts and abrasions. And the covering on old | | | | |
| mats often flakes off. These flakes can end | | | | You might also wish to have a professional |
| up in a student's eye. The solution is to | | | | safety inspection performed. There are |
| either replace these mats or to have them | | | | several advantages to having professionals |
| re-covered. | | | | perform your inspection. |
| | | | |
| 3. STORAGE AREAS | | | | First, such companies know what hazards to |
| | | | look for and may identify situations you have |
| Equipment is often hastily and dangerously | | | | overlooked. |
| put away. A good example is a volleyball | | | | |
| standard placed upright on a mat. Any student | | | | Second, in the event of a lawsuit, you can |
| tugging on the mat is in danger of being | | | | use a professional inspection as evidence |
| struck by the volleyball standard. Another | | | | that you do take careful precautions to |
| problem is placement of equipment on the | | | | ensure a safe building. |
| floor, requiring students to walk on top of | | | | |
| it to access the rest of the room. | | | | Third, some schools have apparently received |
| | | | reductions in insurance premiums as a result |
| In addition to safety hazards, improper | | | | of having an inspection performed. |
| storage may cause hundreds of dollars of | | | | |
| damage to equipment each year. A common | | | | And finally, you'll know yourself that you've |
| example is equipment left on top of mats or | | | | done everything possible to ensure a safe |
| lying atop deflated balls. The result can be | | | | environment for your students. |
| torn covers, reduced cushioning in mats and | | | | |