|Excel Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine 2801 North Decatur Road
Decatur, GA 30033 USA Are steps and rungs spaced evenly? The
vertical distance (riser) between steps or rungs should be wide
enough so that a child's head or body cannot become trapped. In
a playground for preschoolers, closed risers should be used if
the space between the top of one step and the bottom of the next
step (or platform) is between 3.5 and 9 inches; the open rungs
of a ladder must be at least 9 inches apart. In a playground for
older children, closed risers should be used if the space
between steps is less than 12 inches; ladder rungs must be at
least 12 inches apart. Are fulcrum see-saws too steep? The
maximum attainable angle between the ground and the teeter-
totter seat touching the ground should be 25 degrees. Is the
platform at the top safe? There should be no gaps between the
platform and the top of the slide chute. The platform should be
horizontal and at least as wide as the slide; a width of 22
inches is recommended for free