About 1,700 Utah elementary students injured yearly on school playgrounds, study says

Over three years, enough students were injured annually to fill 24 school buses.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Zach Torres-George, an environmental health scientist with the Salt Lake County Health Department performs a safety inspection of the playground at Woodrow Wilson Elementary in Salt Lake. Next week is National Playground Safety Week and the health department is looking to promote safe practices on the playgrounds.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Cole Johnson, 6, shows off his athletic skills as he visits the playground at Woodrow Wilson Elementary in Salt Lake on Monday, April 24, 2017. Next week is National Playground Safety Week and the health department is looking to promote safe practices on playgrounds as they perform inspections. The health department released a new study showing that 67 percent of Utah elementary student (grades K-6) injuries that take place at school are on the playground. About 1700 elementary school students were injured each year from 2012 to 2015, enough to fill 24 school busses.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Zach Torres-George, an environmental health scientist with the Salt Lake County Health Department performs a safety inspection of the playground at Woodrow Wilson Elementary in Salt Lake. Next week is National Playground Safety Week and the health department is looking to promote safe practices on the playgrounds.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Cole Johnson, 6, visits the playground at Woodrow Wilson Elementary in Salt Lake on Monday, April 24, 2017. Next week is National Playground Safety Week and the health department is looking to promote safe practices on playgrounds as they perform inspections.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Aida Cleverly, 3, visits the playground at Woodrow Wilson Elementary in Salt Lake on Monday. Next week is National Playground Safety Week and the health department is looking to promote safe practices on the playgrounds as they perform inspections. The health department released a new study showing that 67 percent of Utah elementary student (grades K-6) injuries that take place at school are on the playground. About 1700 elementary school students were injured each year from 2012 to 2015, enough to fill 24 school busses.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Aida Cleverly, 3, visits the playground at Woodrow Wilson Elementary in Salt Lake on Monday. Next week is National Playground Safety Week and the health department is looking to promote safe practices on the playgrounds as they perform inspections. The health department released a new study showing that 67 percent of Utah elementary student (grades K-6) injuries that take place at school are on the playground.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Hillary Campbell, student injury reporting technician with the Utah Department of Health, discusses a study showing that 67 percent of Utah elementary student (grades K-6) injuries that take place at school are on the playground. Next week is National Playground Safety Week and the health department is looking to promote safe practices on playgrounds as they perform inspections.

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Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Zach Torres-George, an environmental health scientist with the Salt Lake County Health Department performs a safety inspection of the playground at Woodrow Wilson Elementary in Salt Lake. Next week is National Playground Safety Week and the health department is looking to promote safe practices on the playgrounds. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Cole Johnson, 6, shows off his athletic skills as he visits the playground at Woodrow Wilson Elementary in Salt Lake on Monday, April 24, 2017. Next week is National Playground Safety Week and the health department is looking to promote safe practices on playgrounds as they perform inspections. The health department released a new study showing that 67 percent of Utah elementary student (grades K-6) injuries that take place at school are on the playground. About 1700 elementary school students were injured each year from 2012 to 2015, enough to fill 24 school busses. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Zach Torres-George, an environmental health scientist with the Salt Lake County Health Department performs a safety inspection of the playground at Woodrow Wilson Elementary in Salt Lake. Next week is National Playground Safety Week and the health department is looking to promote safe practices on the playgrounds. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Cole Johnson, 6, visits the playground at Woodrow Wilson Elementary in Salt Lake on Monday, April 24, 2017. Next week is National Playground Safety Week and the health department is looking to promote safe practices on playgrounds as they perform inspections. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Aida Cleverly, 3, visits the playground at Woodrow Wilson Elementary in Salt Lake on Monday. Next week is National Playground Safety Week and the health department is looking to promote safe practices on the playgrounds as they perform inspections. The health department released a new study showing that 67 percent of Utah elementary student (grades K-6) injuries that take place at school are on the playground. About 1700 elementary school students were injured each year from 2012 to 2015, enough to fill 24 school busses. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Aida Cleverly, 3, visits the playground at Woodrow Wilson Elementary in Salt Lake on Monday. Next week is National Playground Safety Week and the health department is looking to promote safe practices on the playgrounds as they perform inspections. The health department released a new study showing that 67 percent of Utah elementary student (grades K-6) injuries that take place at school are on the playground. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Hillary Campbell, student injury reporting technician with the Utah Department of Health, discusses a study showing that 67 percent of Utah elementary student (grades K-6) injuries that take place at school are on the playground. Next week is National Playground Safety Week and the health department is looking to promote safe practices on playgrounds as they perform inspections.

By Kelly Gifford The Salt Lake Tribune

· April 24, 2017 10:55 pm

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

A new study from the Utah Department of Health showed that about 5,100 elementary school students in the state were injured on school playgrounds over a three school-year period.

Nearly two-thirds of students in kindergarten through sixth grade who experienced injuries at school from mid-2012 to mid-2015 were hurt on school playgrounds, the study found. The yearly tally of students injured over that time — 1,700 students — is enough students to fill 24 school buses.

The Utah Department of Health has tracked school playground injuries for more than 30 years, said Hillary Campbell, a student-injury reporting technician. Clumsiness and using equipment in ways other than intended by equipment designers accounted for a majority of accidents.

"We want our kids to have fun and be active," Campbell said. "But just make sure you're aware of these things so you can step in before something escalates with students or your own children."

Fifth-graders suffered more playground injuries than any other grade, according to the study, making up about 17 percent of hurt students.

The top playground injuries in that three-period, by far, were bone fractures or possible fractures, accounting for 50.2 percent of all injuries. Cuts or lacerations made up 14 percent, while bumps, bruises and contusions were about 9 percent of the total.

Most common activities leading to injuries were playing on bars, 26.5 percent; running, 23.5 percent; and walking, at 6 percent.

The study also found that falls were the leading cause of injury, at 37.8 percent followed by tripping/slipping, 29.7 percent; and collisions at 23.7 percent.

The study drew only on injuries reported to the department that were severe enough for the student to miss at least half a day of school or warrant medical attention.

Reporting injuries at school is voluntary, but Campbell said more than 800 schools participate.

kgifford@sltrib.com

Twitter: @kelgiffo