Yard

A safe yard for children

Playground structures should be intact and sturdy, and there should be no rotten, rusted, broken, worn or missing parts or loose joints. Nails, screws and sharp metal parts protruding from structures and wood splinters might cause injuries.

In a children’s playground in the yard, pay attention to the possibility of them falling out of swings. There should be no ledges, tree roots, stones, etc. in fall hazard areas. The best base is a shock absorbing material.

The children’s equipment should not have parts where children may get stuck. Avoid equipment where the child might fall from a high place, especially if they are under 3 years of age. Solid railing in climbing equipment, such as the stairs of a slide, increase safety.

Inspect the children’s playground regularly, paying attention to the risk factors caused by wear or defects in the equipment. The inspection should be carried out especially carefully in the spring if the playground has been unused during the winter. Do not store any substances or equipment or, for example, glass bottles or plastic wrapping near the playground, not even temporarily.

If there is a trampoline in the yard, install a safety net around it. Only one person should jump on the trampoline at a time. Empty any water containers in the yard and cover any outdoor bathtubs after use.

Poisonous flowers and plants

Many very common garden plants are poisonous. For instance, tulips contain toxic components. Most plants are only slightly poisonous, and eating them will mainly cause stomach pain and vomiting.

It is good idea to know which plants are poisonous when selecting plants for your home yard. You should familiarise yourself with the matter, for example, by reading a book on gardening. If there are poisonous plants, such as lily of the valley, growing in the yard, learn to identify them and teach children that the plants are not to be touched. Learn to identify the plants in your own yard. It is problematic if the parents cannot identify the plant their child has tasted when calling the Poison Information Centre.